Newcastle United will start the new season without newly-appointed captain Dan Burn.
Burn was handed the captain's armband following the departure of former skipper Bruno Guimaraes to Premier League champions Arsenal.
The 34-year-old looked set to start the new season in the centre of defence as new manager Matthias Jaissle looks to make a winning start to life at St James' Park.
However, he has suffered an ankle injury in training and he will now be forced to watch the opening weeks of the campaign from the sidelines.
After losing Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali and Anthony Gordon since the end of last season, the absence of Burn is a blow as the Magpies embark on a new era.
We've taken a look at the earliest possible date Burn could return to first-team action for Newcastle.
When is Dan Burn expected to return from injury?
Burn is expected to miss up to six weeks as he works his way back to fitness.
The timeframe in question means that Burn would not return to action before the international break, which would almost certainly mean that he will also be absent from England's international fixtures.
At the age of 34, Burn may find it difficult to break back into the England squad after featuring during this summer's World Cup.
A six-week absence could mean that Burn has the opportunity to return when Newcastle travel to Coventry City on 12th October.
Newcastle will not want to rush Burn's recovery but Jaissle will be concerned about the loss of one of his key defenders for the opening weeks of his tenure.
