Newcastle United boss Kevin Keegan broke the news ahead of the Magpies final game of the Premier League season against Everton, a match that would not have featured the V-bomber anyway.

Keegan said: "Mark Viduka could be out for three to six months. That's a blow for us but we'll see. We'll know more in two weeks and will inform you then. Mark's done great for us so that's a blow."

Viduka, along with fellow strikers Michael Owen and Obafemi Martins, had been a major factor in the club's recent good form.

Keegan conceded on Monday that Viduka's English season was over after he failed to return for the second half of the Magpies' 2-0 defeat to Chelsea.

Viduka, who has also suffered hamstring, calf and ankle injuries this season, was not going to be considered for the Socceroos' busy schedule of World Cup qualifiers in June but had told Pim Verbeek that whenever he was in good shape to do so, would continue to represent his country.

Verbeek recently labelled the player 'special' with no-one else fitting the same mould in Australian football.