Newcastle player admits he's not trained for more than a week now

By Sam Preston

Callum Wilson says he has been absent from Newcastle training for longer than a week.

£20 million man Wilson came off the bench in the Magpies’ 2-1 win over Wolves on Sunday afternoon, a game in which Alexander Isak (pictured below) opened the scoring.

Wilson suggested Isak had been starting because he has a niggling fitness issue which is preventing him getting out on the training ground.

Speaking on the BBC’s Footballers’ Football Podcast, Wilson said admitted the whole point of Newcastle having a deep squad is so they have players of comparable quality coming in.

Callum Wilson says he has been missing from Newcastle training lately

He said: “I’ve not trained in over a week now. So that’s why we have brought him to come into the team and not let it hamper when someone comes out.”

“That’s what we’re trying to build, to get players who are almost as good as each other.

“It was a great performance from him [Isak]! But as someone who plays in his position you’re thinking ‘ah it’s going to take me another week to get back in’.”

Isak has had fitness issues of his own in his maiden season in English football, but seems to be over the worst of them by now.

He has earned a call-up for the next Sweden squad and is finally showing what he can do in the famous black and white shirt.

That means Wilson has a battle on his hands to get back into the team when he is fully fit again, especially given his poor form since the World Cup.