NEWCASTLE UNITED youngster Lucas de Bolle is yet to start his loan spell with Hamilton Academicals – because he is still suffering from the after-effects of a bout of concussion.

De Bolle joined Hamilton on a season-long loan on transfer deadline day, but was not involved in the squad for his new employers’ weekend game with Cove Rangers.

It has subsequently been revealed that the 19-year-old has not even travelled to Scotland yesterday as he is continuing to recuperate on Tyneside following a bout of concussion sustained in an Under-21s game with Newcastle last month.

De Bolle, who is a Scotland Under-21 international, is still suffering from blurred vision in the wake of the incident, and Newcastle’s medical staff are wanting to take every possible precaution as they oversee his return to action.

Speaking in an interview with the Daily Record, Hamilton boss John Rankin said: “Lucas had a setback from his concussion. The way it is, Newcastle have put him back 24 hours in the stage of his protocol.

“He was on a bike on Monday, and we just need to go through the stages with him and hope that he recovers, and hopefully doesn't get any dizzy spells between now and the weekend (when Hamilton face Inverness Caledonian Thistle in the Scottish Championship).

“He saw the opticians and they are clear it is nothing to do with his eye, so that is the good thing. He's just having a recurrence of blurred vision so hopefully he can overcome that in the next couple of days.

“I've spoken to him numerous times over the phone, and he is really keen. He is desperate to get here and play - and I know what that is like when you are a young boy. Sometimes that excitement to get going works against you.

“He was playing in a game for Newcastle and got knocked out a few weeks ago. Since then, he has not trained but when you see Lucas playing and his energy levels, you will see that won't affect him.

“We need to be patient, especially with a concussion. It's not a tick-box exercise. He's got to go through rigorous tests to make sure he can play at the level required.”