Yoane Wissa is 'not close' to a Newcastle return and looks set to miss his proposed comeback date this side of the November international break.
The 29-year-old suffered a posterior cruciate ligament injury playing for DR Congo just a week after signing from Brentford in a £55million deal on September 1.
Wissa is yet to train with his new team-mates and Eddie Howe does not know when that will be, despite hope earlier this month of him featuring over the next week.
The Newcastle boss said: 'It (his comeback) is definitely not West Ham (on Sunday).