Thomas Tuchel said Valentino Livramento’s calf injury was a “shock in training” and that it was likely to keep him out for four or five weeks. That was enough to rule him out of England’s World Cup squad shortly before the opening match against Croatia, while Newcastle have since said he has had a minor surgical procedure and should return during pre-season.

Tuchel’s explanation for the World Cup miss

Tuchel did not leave much room for interpretation. “It was kind of a little shock in training,” he said, adding that the setback was “about four or five weeks” and that England sent Livramento home after assessment. He was replaced in the squad by Chelsea’s Trevoh Chalobah.

England went on to beat Croatia 4-2 in the opening match, but Livramento had already been withdrawn before that game. The important point is not the result itself, it is the timing. He was in the squad, trained, then left before the tournament really settled.

Newcastle’s problem while he recovers

Newcastle’s update sounds calmer than Tuchel’s. Eddie Howe said, “Tino, we think, will be fine,” and added that the defender looks like he is “moving well on the grass now.” The club also said pre-season is the target for his return.

The issue is what Newcastle are left with while he is out. Kieran Trippier and Emil Krafth have already left after their contracts expired, and Livramento had also missed the closing stages of Newcastle’s 2025-26 campaign because of a thigh injury. That leaves the right side thin at a time when Newcastle finished 12th and on 49 points, a season that already asked for a summer rebuild.

Howe has talked about Livramento and Lewis Hall as long-term full-back solutions for the club, but for now the emphasis is on getting Livramento back through pre-season without another setback. Newcastle will still want him available for the start of the next campaign, and the current picture is simple enough: the surgery was minor, the recovery is ongoing, and the full-back depth chart has been squeezed again.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →