GRAEME Souness will pull Jermaine Jenas out of England's summer tour of the United States if there is any chance of the Newcastle midfielder jeopardising his recovery from a muscle injury.

Jenas, who played in 28 of the Magpies' first 30 league games this term, has been sidelined since the 1-0 defeat at Tottenham at the start of last month.

He is unlikely to play again this season, but is expected to be named in Sven Goran Eriksson's squad for England's trip across the Atlantic.

The national side, who are due to depart on May 24, face friendly games against the USA and Colombia as they continue their preparations ahead of September's crucial World Cup qualifiers in Wales and Northern Ireland.

Kieron Dyer has already been ruled out of the tour after suffering yet another hamstring injury in last week's goalless draw with Middlesbrough.

And, while Jenas' situation is not as cut and dried, Souness admits it would be a major surprise to see the 22-year-old playing for his country this summer.

"I think there's a real chance he won't go if he's not right," said the Magpies manager. "He's had a muscle pull.

"It's not a case of protecting him, but Jermaine has had a long hard season and his experience, more than anybody else's, tells you what has happened to us this season."

Jenas is just one of a number of Newcastle players to have broken down from a variety of strains and pulls since Christmas.

The club's fortunes have undoubtedly been hindered by the ever-increasing injury list and, in recent weeks, Souness has been quick to point to the burden that has been heaped upon his players.

The Magpies have played 19 cup games - half of a regular Premiership season - and, despite chairman Freddy Shepherd lauding the strength of the squad last August, Souness has found himself short of experienced players.

"He (Jenas) is somebody who floats across the grass," said the former Middlesbrough and Liverpool midfielder. "He finds running effortless, but he has blown up from the amount of games he has been playing.

"He got a calf muscle pull, and the fact that he has blown up from something like that indicates the strains that have been put upon him. He had been rested for two or three weeks before, because he had played more than anybody else.

"So, for that to happen, it just shows the demands that have been put upon the players."

* Hugo Viana looks set to make a shock return to St James' Park next month after Sporting Lisbon failed to make an offer for the forgotten midfielder.

Viana has been on loan at his former club all season and Sporting were expected to make the deal permanent this summer.

But, after Newcastle officials set a deadline for their Sporting counterparts to show their hand, no offer materialised.

Therefore, Viana is due to return to England when his Magpies team-mates begin pre-season training at the end of next month and Newcastle have refused to rule out barring him from the UEFA Cup final should Sporting see off AZ Alkmaar on Thursday.

"We have kept our part of the deal and Sporting have not made us any kind of offer for Hugo," said chairman Freddy Shepherd.

"We are now ready to listen to offers from other clubs. If there aren't any, he will get a letter telling him to report back with the rest of the squad on June 22."

Read more about Newcastle United FC here.