Newcastle United boss John Carver has revealed that he will not rush Siem de Jong back into action following his recovery from a collapsed lung.
The 26-year-old could feature for the Magpies for the first time since August after successfully playing 45 minutes for the club's Under-21 side in a fixture this week.
However, Carver has admitted that he will be cautious with the Dutchman, who has endured a nightmare first year at the club as he previously sustained a thigh injury which ruled him out until January.
"We will assess him and see if he can get on the bench for Spurs. But I'm not going to push that situation," Carver told the club's official website.
"I trust Siem, he's a top player, and if he says he's ready great - if not we'll delay it another week."
Newcastle play Tottenham Hotspur in their Premier League clash on Sunday.
Written by
Simon Sinclair
Simon Sinclair
