The 26-year-old Turkey international has missed the club's last 10 games with a calf injury, and he has had an on-going battle with the Football Association over a charge of using racially aggravated words and/or behaviour at Everton on December 30.Emre Agent In Talks With Italian Clubs?
The 26-year-old Turkey international has missed the club's last 10 games with a calf injury, and he has had an on-going battle with the Football Association over a charge of using racially aggravated words and/or behaviour at Everton on December 30.Glenn Roeder: "Emre's calf injury has gone on too long. We need a fit Emre on the football pitch, and that is what I am expecting to get. Saturday's game with Middlesbrough will come too early for Emre, but I expect he will be in contention for our game with Alkmaar next Thursday.
"I have watched him in training in the past couple of days and he is running and working hard. It will be good to have him back."
But rumours continue that Emre's agent is trying to engineer a return to Italy for the Newcastle United midfielder.
The Turk's representative Ahmet Bulut claimed in the summer that he was in talks with two Serie A clubs regarding a return to Italy at the end of this season. And those "two clubs", said to be AC Milan and Palermo, are looking at the decision from the FA that could end Emre's Newcastle career, gearing up for a move in May.
Newcastle are reluctant to offload the player they paid almost £4 million for, but he has made it known that he will leave England if he is branded a racist.
Bulut has said many times: "I hope with my help he can return to Italy. But it won't be easy because Newcastle don't seem intent on selling him."