Steve Bruce will be without Fabian Schar and Jamaal Lascelles for Newcastle United's pre-season programme next month.
The congested preparations are set to feature at least three friendly matches but Bruce expects Schar, who went under the knife for a shoulder injury today, and skipper Lascelles, who picked up an ankle injury that also required an operation, will be back by mid-September for the start of the 2020/21 season.
Schar was injured at the end of the defeat at home to Tottenham Hotspur while Lascelles limped off as United went down 2-1 at Watford.
Bruce said: "Fabian Schar has an operation this afternoon so we're hoping six to eight weeks for him and we hope he'll be there or thereabouts when the season restarts.
"That goes for Lascelles and all of the injured players too.
"Ciaran Clark and Paul Dummett, we hope can join in training in August."
Newcastle go into their final game of the season against Liverpool with a question mark over Sweden international Emil Krafth.
The defender picked up an injury against Brighton & Hove Albion on Monday night.
Bruce said: "Krafth who took a nasty whack to his ankle so we’ll see how he is over the next 24 hours."
United will welcome back Isaac Hayden and Sean Longstaff to the squad against the Reds, with the former Arsenal man a candidate to play centre-back if Krafth doesn't make it.
