Cheick Tiote is set to be sidelined for the rest of the season with Newcastle United.
The Ivory Coast midfielder travelled to Qatar on the weekend to undergo surgery on a troublesome knee injury and will now remain in the Middle East to begin his rehabilitation.
Tiote, who is being linked with Lokomotiv Moscow, has not played for the Magpies since January 3 and it is believed that he has now made his last appearance for the Toon as he gets set to depart this summer.
"Communication is not great at the minute so we are trying to get more and more (information), but I think he'll stay there (Qatar) for a while," said head coach John Carver.
"He's there because the surgeon who did his operation on his thigh when he was at FC Twente is out there.
"He'll have a bit of time there and then come back, but I would say his season is probably over."
Tiote joined Newcastle from Twente in 2010 and has made over 130 appearances for the St James' Park outfit since his arrival.
