The lack of genuine youth within the Newcastle United squad might be something that Eddie Howe is keen to address this summer. There isn’t currently a player in the first-team squad at St James’ Park below the age of 22.
Elliot Anderson – still not quite part of the senior team – is the most promising youngster at the club at 19 years of age but it is unlikely he will get any Premier League exposure next season. Another season out on loan looks the most probable prospect after his heroics in the second half of the season helped Bristol Rovers to automatic promotion into League One.
The Magpies were one of four top-flight teams who didn’t hand a single Premier League minute to a teenager, along with Chelsea, Leicester and Burnley.
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For much of the season, it would have been inappropriate to give game time to inexperienced youth players with avoidance of relegation the main objective. However, once that was achieved, Howe could have introduced a youngster or two to the squad, as plenty of United’s Premier League rivals did.
Before moving to Hartlepool on loan in January, Joe White could have been given some Premier League exposure. He was among the Newcastle substitutes for three matches but, with those coming against Manchester United (twice) and Manchester City, it’s hardly surprising that he wasn’t brought onto the pitch.
Howe already seems keen to bring promising youth into the squad with Hugo Ekitike and Sven Botman firmly among the club’s priority transfer targets. While it looks like a deal for Ekitike will be agreed in the coming days, he could’ve made the move to the north east on Deadline Day in January.
Had he made that mid-season switch, at the age of 19, any appearances would have meant Newcastle wouldn’t have been one of the teams joint-bottom of that particular table. There is also a clear desire within the new ownership group to develop the club’s youth development set up.
With plans for an improved training ground in the works, the plan at United will be to bring some of the country’s best young players to Newcastle. A similar youth system might be implemented on Tyneside to the one that continues to work so brilliantly at Manchester City as they continue to push the best English youngsters into their first team.
