Newcastle United will 'consider' following the lead of Premier League rivals such as Manchester United by appointing a player-coach for the academy. That is according to under-21s boss Ben Dawson, who admits the addition of a senior star to act as a mentor in the youth ranks has been on the club's radar since 2015.
The hybrid position of an experienced professional taking their first steps into coaching while continuing to play has become popular among Newcastle's top-flight rivals in recent years. Manchester United's decision to sign Tom Huddlestone for the role at the start of the season made headlines, with the four-cap England international replacing ex-Hull City defender Paul McShane.
Liverpool made a similar move last summer by re-signing academy graduate Jay Spearing, with the 33-year-old returning to Anfield almost a decade after his departure. Newcastle's academy has seen significant change in recent years, and the prospect of a similar appointment on Tyneside has been raised by Ryan Fraser's unexpected demotion to the under-21 setup.
