Newcastle United faces a tough home stretch to finish their season and the ongoing challenges on the injury front don't seem to be improving, judging by the latest report shared by insider Chris Waugh over The Athletic.

Key players Nick Pope, Joelinton, Callum Wilson, and Matt Targett remain sidelined with various issues and are not expected back for the time being, at the very least.

Backup left-back Matt Targett is dealing with an Achilles injury and the report says that the problem appears to be more serious than initially anticipated by Newcastle's medical staff.

According to club sources, Targett has been required to wear a protective boot and is not expected to return to play in the near term nor for the remainder of this season heading into the summer.

Forward Callum Wilson might stand a chance to return at some point later this month or in May. The report says he is on a positive recovery timeline and that his process might be completed in time for him to return to the pitch before the Premier League season is over in a few weeks.

The team has shown some optimism that Wilson might rejoin the squad for the final matches of the season, contingent on his continued progress and barring any setbacks. This being Wilson, however, could sadly happen at any moment.

Among those aiming at pulling off a late-season comeback, Nick Pope remains sidelined due to a shoulder injury but he is scheduled to return by the end of April if all goes according to plan.

According to the report, NUFC remains cautious and won't rush him back because of Pope's injury history with similar woes. "The target is the end of April, but Newcastle are being extremely cautious," a club spokesperson said about Pope's situation. Pencil in a May return for Pope, if he comes back at all.

Joelinton is reportedly back on the field doing some individual drills but he has yet to rejoin team training with the rest of the squad, which means he's still a few weeks from attempting a comeback.

The Brazilian's recovery from a thigh injury is ongoing and, as is the case with most of these situations, the club will err on the side of caution emphasizing the importance of a complete recovery instead of rushing his return and risking any potential setback that could leave him sidelined into next season. "Joelinton is at least a couple of weeks away," the same spokesperson noted.