Rumours circulating in Newcastle say the Socceroo midfielder’s untimely knee injury could be worse than first thought.

The injury forced the 58-times capped national team player’s early return from January’s AFC Asian Cup after he picked up the complaint playing for Gold Coast United last year.  

However the Jets stressed that the rehab is going very well but added Culina, 30, will be on a modified program when the Newcastle squad meets up in a few weeks.

“It is going well, in fact he’s ahead of schedule, and he will be joining us for our first day back,” a Jets spokesperson told au.fourfourtwo.com.

Culina was announced as the club’s Australian marquee player last month.