After going off injured in Newcastle's 1-1 draw against Wolves on January 11, Paul Dummett surely could not have imagined still not making his first-team comeback almost a year later.

The defender saw his season ended due to a tendon injury in that game at Molineux, and whilst he had recovered by the time of the Premier League's restart, the new rules in place meant he couldn't reclaim his place in the squad.

Now, The Chronicle have revealed that Dummett has picked up a hamstring problem, which follows on from a muscle injury he sustained over the summer.

The 29-year-old had taken to the pitch for an U23s clash against Fulham in October, but this latest setback is likely to mean 2020 won't be the year in which he marks his competitive comeback.

It's a devastating blow for the versatile defender, but also a costly one for Steve Bruce, who has seen his defence ravaged by injuries over the course of the past few months.

The Magpies did strengthen their back-line with the purchase of Jamal Lewis from relegated Norwich, but a shoulder injury to Matt Ritchie saw their options dwindle in that left-back role, whilst the Tyneside club have also seen numerous injuries to their centre-backs too.

Whilst he may not be the most glamorous name in the Newcastle squad, former boss Rafa Benitez made it clear just how highly he thinks of him in a Q&A with The Athletic last year.

When asked which players he has worked with that he feels have gone under the radar and under-valued by supporters, the Spaniard said: "Also Paul Dummett at Newcastle. He is very consistent and is very clever in a tactical way. He can help the players around him and the fans do not always notice that."

Dummett's injury is bad news on a personal note, but it's just as big of a blow to the team as well.