NUFC player has lost ‘over’ 10kg & won’t be ready for Premier League opener – Steve Bruce

Steve Bruce has urged young people to get the COVID-19 vaccine following Karl Darlow’s dramatic weight loss due to the virus.

Despite the elderly and vulnerable being more likely to get ill from coronavirus, 30-year-old goalkeeper Darlow has lost a stone and a half (10kg) after being so ill he spent a period in hospital last month.

Bruce has ruled him out of our Premier League opener against West Ham alongside our traditional number one Martin Dubravka, which means Freddie Woodman will be handed a huge opportunity to stake his claim between the sticks.

The NUFC boss – who lost Allan Saint-Maximin and Jamaal Lascelles for a large chunk of last season due to COVID – admits he has been shocked at how bad the disease has impacted his players.

This is what he said ahead of our clash with West Ham:

“It doesn’t look as though Karl Darlow is going to be right (for West Ham). It’s well documented that he’s been suffering with Covid.

“For any young people out there who are not having this jab, this is a prime example.

Karl found himself in hospital for the best part of a week.

He’s dropped over a stone and a half in weight, and it’s really knocked him around.

“I’ll reiterate this. There is a 30-year-old who was hospitalised by this thing. Young, fit, healthy – but it’s left him in a very poorly situation.

Bit by bit, he’s getting a bit stronger, but basically, it wiped him out.

“Just because you’re under the age of 30, it definitely doesn’t mean you’re immune to it. We have evidence in our squad of just how sick even young people can get.

We’ll give him as much time as he wants.”

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