NEWCASTLE UNITED midfielder Emre is threatening to infuriate manager Graeme Souness by playing for Turkey next week, even though he has not kicked a ball for the Magpies in the last month.

The £3.8m buy from Inter Milan in the summer has been restricted by a repetitive hamstring problem since arriving from Italy, but is ready to answer his country's cry for help.

Souness revealed yesterday that Emre's injury is still improving but he is unlikely to be in the team to face Portsmouth on Saturday - meaning the wait goes on for his return.

But Turkey are relying on having the creative Emre fit and available to keep their World Cup hopes alive.

He is seen back in his home land as one of the best talents to have emerged from Istanbul.

After Saturday's trip to Pompey, there is an international break and Turkey have two games lined up.

They face Germany next Saturday in a friendly and two days later they hope to have a full squad to choose from for their must-win Group Two qualifier in Albania.

Turkey sit four points adrift of the Ukraine in the race for the automatic qualification spot, while third-placed Greece are two points behind Turkey, occupants of the play-off place, with a game in hand.

Emre has made it clear that he intends to travel with his country to play in Albania, even if he is not considered fit enough by Souness to play for his club this weekend.

That is likely to frustrate the Scot, who has bemoaned the way players return from country duty with injuries in the past.

Since moving to St James' Park, Emre has only made three appearances for Newcastle and one of those ended prematurely when he limped off against Manchester United on August 28 - his last game in a black and white shirt.

There has been a feeling that the former Galatasaray man was rushed back in a bid to help Newcastle's cause against United and Souness is trying to make sure the same mistake is not repeated.

So if Emre does not play against Portsmouth and represents Turkey, Souness will understandably not be very happy with the situation.

The Newcastle boss admitted yesterday, on the club's official website, that the chances of Emre and Nolberto Solano playing at Fratton Park are slim.

But there was the good news that Kieron Dyer is likely to make his comeback on the south coast after a similar length of time on the sidelines with the same injury.

Dyer has been working hard at the training ground to overcome the problem and his determination to shrug off his latest setback looks set to be rewarded with a place in the team.

The England midfielder's availability will further boost a Newcastle team who have taken seven points from a possible nine in recent weeks - a far cry from a start that left them sitting bottom of the league table.

Newcastle are likely to be up against former player Lomana LuaLua on Saturday.

LuaLua, who memorably scored an equaliser against the Magpies while on loan at Portsmouth in February last year, has shrugged off a shoulder injury.

He will join Andy O'Brien, a £1.5m buy from Tyneside in the summer, in the Portsmouth side but Laurent Robert, who is ineligible, and Andy Griffin, out of favour, will not figure.

Meanwhile, Shay Given and Stephen Carr have been called up by the Republic of Ireland to play Cyprus and Switzerland in World Cup qualifiers next month.

The Irish face the Cypriots in Nicosia on October 8 before playing the Swiss at Lansdowne Road three days later.

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