the England under-21 midfielder suffered a serious knee injury and only time will tell if he will fully recover.
Butterfield has rejected the offer of a new contract from Barnsley, but he he would not be available on a Bosman, and Newcastle would need to pay compensation to the Tykes.
Alan Pardew seems to have reservations because of that knee injury because the club gambled on Sylvain Marveaux and Dan Gosling in similar circumstances and neither has worked out so far.
We know for a fact Pardew was warned off Marveaux, but the Toon boss took the gamble.