The three Newcastle youngsters Eddie Howe has to put into the first-team before the end of the season.
Newcastle United have some promising young players that Eddie Howe should evaluate before the end of the season.
Newcastle still has European ambitions for this season, but they have exited all other competitions with Saturday’s FA Cup defeat, therefore the focus now shifts to their final ten Premier League games.
While no one is proposing that Howe plays the kids and gives up, this run might provide some of Newcastle’s finest youth stars with valuable experience for the future.
Newcastle should turn to their academy this season.
Newcastle hasn’t had many academy graduates over the last few decades, with Sean Longstaff and Elliot Anderson being notable exceptions.
However, this is about to change in the long run, as Newcastle’s owners place a high value on developing young talent, and the club has already attracted some elite prospects who are flourishing in the academy.
Newcastle have brought in a particularly impressive trio of Alfie Harrison, Trevan Sanusi, and Travis Hernes in recent years, all of whom have competed at a high level and could yet appear in the remainder of the season.
Looking ahead five years, this set of players might be critical to Newcastle, and any experience they get early in their careers will only prepare them for what lies ahead.
How Eddie Howe could fit a teenager into Newcastle’s team.
Harrison was brought in from Manchester City’s academy for about £3.5 million with the expectation that he will break into the first team after demonstrating his goal-scoring ability, which Newcastle lacks in their midfield.
Sanusi has recently impressed Howe and his staff, who have been keeping a close eye on the younger teams, and the 16-year-old could make his debut soon.
The disadvantage for Sanusi is that he is playing on the left wing, a position in which Newcastle is well-stocked with Anthony Gordon and Harvey Barnes, but he can also play on the right, where the squad lacks a goal threat.