Newcastle’s Harvey Barnes facing ‘months’ out due to ‘unusual injury’

The £38m summer signing limped off after just 12 minutes of Sunday’s win at Sheffield United

Harvey Barnes (Getty Images)

Newcastle forward Harvey Barnes is facing “months” on the sidelines after picking up a “very unusual injury” in the 8-0 win against Sheffield United.

Barnes, who joined Newcastle from Leicester in a £38m deal this summer, limped off after just 12 minutes of Sunday’s victory at Bramall Lane and manager Eddie Howe now fears the 25-year-old will be ruled out for an extended period.

Barnes has undergone a scan and Newcastle are now awaiting a specialist’s opinion to determine if surgery is needed on what Howe described as a foot injury.

“It’s difficult,” Howe said. “I don’t want to put a time on it until we get confirmation from the specialist, but I think it will be months rather than weeks.

"It’s an injury to a part of the foot just below the toe. I think it’s quite a substantial injury.

"I don’t think it was a tackle, I think it was just pushing off to run, a very unusual injury.

"I won’t go too technical because I’m not medically qualified to do so, but yes, very unusual."