Newcastle United forward Garang Kuol has suffered a grade three tear to his right quad, which disrupted a planned transfer window move.
The 19-year-old Australia international has endured difficult loan spells in recent seasons at Hearts and Dutch side Volendam.
Nevertheless, he participated in pre-season with Newcastle, going on tour to Australia in May and also scoring in a behind-closed-doors training game. He had also been due to travel to Japan in July, but suffered a short-term knee injury in the days before the squad’s departure.
After two unsuccessful previous loan spells, and Kuol not yet considered ready by Eddie Howe to be part of his first-team squad, another move had been slated for this window.
There had always been an 18-month loan plan after Kuol arrived in the United Kingdom, with all parties recognising this might need to be extended owing to the difficulties at Hearts and Volendam, with both clubs sacking their management staff midseason.
There had been interest in Kuol from Portugal and Belgium, as well as other English clubs, with some sides pursuing a permanent deal over a loan.
However, discussions were halted by the quad injury suffered by Kuol in training — separate to the earlier knee problem — which will rule him out for up to eight weeks.
He has been rehabbing the issue at Newcastle, although flew to Germany this week during the international break to meet up with his Australian age-group teammates.
With Kuol unlikely to feature for Newcastle’s first team this season, all parties will revisit a potential move in January.
(Serena Taylor/Newcastle United via Getty Images)
