CALLUM WILSON has admitted Newcastle United ‘needed to sign another striker’ during the January transfer window – and has cast doubt on whether he will be ready to return at the start of next month.

Wilson has been sidelined since damaging his calf and Achilles in late December, an injury blow that forced Eddie Howe to reassess his January transfer plans.

Newcastle signed Chris Wood for £25m last month, but attempts to recruit another forward on deadline day proved unsuccessful, with moves for Hugo Ekitike and Jesse Lingard both breaking down.

Wilson is looking forward to playing with Wood once he returns to full fitness, but has admitted he thought his employers would have done more before the window swung shut.

“I was looking forward to the club bringing in another striker as well as Chris Wood,” said Wilson, who is Newcastle’s leading scorer this season with six Premier League goals. “I think we needed one more as well. Unfortunately, we didn’t get that in the attacking area.

“But I back Woody from now until the end of the season. I also back myself when I do get fit and we end up playing together and helping the team.”

Initial hopes that Wilson’s injuries would not be too severe proved unfounded, and Howe was stating last month that he hoped to have the England international back available by early March.

That remains the official timescale placed on the 29-year-old’s recovery, but Wilson has admitted he is making slow progress when it comes to gradually stepping up his rehabilitation programme.

As a result, there are understandable fears that as well as missing this month’s matches, he could also be sidelined well into March.

“It’s moving slow, you can’t rush the process really,” said Wilson, on the Footballer’s Football Podcast. “At the moment, I'm just making sure I'm ticking all the boxes and doing all the things I can to get back as soon as I can, but in a safe and controlled way.

“We'll see when that happens, but at the minute there is no definite timeframe for when I'll be back. I’m just playing it by ear and working hard in the gym.

“I don't want to come back and not be able to affect the game and just be taking part. I want to make sure I'm coming back all cylinders firing and hit the ground running, because we haven't got games to get up to speed.”