Newcastle United's Jamal Lewis set for surgery on groin issue?

Newcastle United full-back Jamal Lewis could be set for surgery on his long-term groin problem, according to Eddie Howe.

The Magpies manager opted to leave the 24-year-old out of his 25-man squad for the second half of the season, and his injury was the reason for that decision.

Lewis suffered a hamstring injury during the 3-1 loss to Liverpool on December 16, and since that point, he did not feature for the club.

"I said when I left Jamal (Lewis) out the 25-man squad he has had injury problems. At the moment, he is in Germany getting assessed and looked at by a groin specialist," Howe told the press.

"He has trained with but now he is going through a spell where he probably will not and he might well be operated on in the next few days. He has had this groin problem now for I think over a year and we have not quite fixed it for him."

Prior to his injury problems, Lewis featured five times for Newcastle United in the Premier League this season.