KI SUNG-YUENG could make his final Newcastle United appearance for a month-and-a-half when Fulham visit St James’ Park on Saturday, and the midfielder is happy to be leaving the Magpies in a much better state than when he broke back into the team in mid-November.

Ki has been selected in the South Korea squad for the Asian Cup, with his side due to kick off their campaign in Dubai with a game against the Philippines on January 7. FIFA rules dictate that teams competing in the Asian Cup can call up their players two weeks before their opening fixture, meaning Ki could be forced to leave England after this weekend.

Newcastle officials are understood to be in negotiations with the South Korean FA that could see the midfielder retained for the Boxing Day game at Liverpool, but with the Asian Cup final not due to take place until February 1, Ki could miss seven league games and a couple of rounds of the FA Cup if South Korea go all the way.

With Jonjo Shelvey struggling with a thigh injury that is proving difficult to cure, Ki’s absence represents a major blow, and while the 29-year-old insists it is always an honour to represent his country in a major competition, he admits he will be heading to the Middle East with mixed feelings given how hard he has worked to establish himself in Newcastle’s first team.

“I’ll go away for the Asian Cup, although I don’t quite know when I’ll be going yet,” said Ki. “By the FIFA rules, it’s two weeks before the first game, so it could be after (this) week.

“I think they are talking, there are negotiations, but it’s going to be too many games I’ll be missing.

“It depends on the games, but if we reach the final or the semi-final, then it is going to be quite a long time.

“I don’t want to be greedy, and I know we have good players, so if I can’t play (get back in the team when he returns), then I can’t play.

“It’s crucial for my country. We haven’t won it for nearly 60 years, and I can’t be in two places at once.”

Ki considered retiring from international football after South Korea failed to progress beyond the group stage of this summer’s World Cup finals despite beating Germany in their final game, but his nation’s new manager, Paulo Bento, persuaded him to stay on until at least the end of the Asian Cup.

Japan’s surprise decision not to select Yoshinori Muto means Newcastle will only be missing one of their Asian players in January, but Ki has become a crucial part of Rafael Benitez’s midfield set-up since returning to the first team last month.

He accepts the timing of Asia’s premier international tournament is far from ideal, but is at least happy to be leaving Newcastle in a decent position after Saturday’s 1-0 win at Huddersfield Town lifted them six points clear of the relegation zone.

“I’m happy we’ve put this run of form together before I leave,” said Ki. “There are not many games left in which I can play, so as much as I can, I try to win every game. Then, of course, I feel a little sorry for the team, as they’re in the middle of the season, but at least we’re in good shape.

“I don’t know when I come back if my place will be there, but I’m very pleased and satisfied so far with everything I’ve played for.”

Ki was one of the players who agreed to cancel Newcastle’s planned Christmas party at the weekend, and like skipper Jamaal Lascelles, the former Celtic, Swansea and Sunderland midfielder feels it was the right decision given the importance of Saturday’s game at Huddersfield and this weekend’s home meeting with the Premier League’s bottom club, Fulham.

“I think every player knew these two games are crucial games for us,” he said. “After that, we’ve got some difficult fixtures coming up in January.

“So we have to earn the points as much as we can.

“The players are more focused on the pitch than having a Christmas party. We can have a Christmas party whenever we want. Maybe in March.

“This is the priority for us, to stay up in the league first. We can delay it until any time.

“I think the games are more important for us than a Christmas party, and hopefully we will keep this mentality until we stay in the league.

“We’ll just do what we have to do and then hopefully we’ll enjoy it more in February or March.”