Newcastle United are expected to use the loan market more aggressively this summer, with The Athletic’s Chris Waugh identifying several academy prospects who could leave Tyneside in search of senior experience elsewhere before joining the senior team full time.
After a season without consistent opportunities for the club’s younger players, even with the team playing in four competitions throughout the season, Newcastle’s absence from European competition next season may further reduce first-team minutes
for some of their young talents.
Waugh reported that loan moves are likely to become a large part of the club’s development and transfer-market strategy.
“With no European football, Newcastle’s most-promising under-21s will hopefully be afforded loans to gain experience,” Waugh wrote.
According to Waugh, the final decisions on each player will depend on Newcastle’s transfer activity and whether any academy players impress Eddie Howe during the pre-season.
“That will partly depend upon incoming business and whether they impress during pre-season and force their way into Howe’s plans,” Waugh added.
Among the players highlighted as likely loan candidates is striker Sean Neave. The 19-year-old has enjoyed a strong season at the academy level and appears to be one of the leading candidates for a temporary move.
“Sean Neave, the 19-year-old striker, and Leo Shahar, the 19-year-old full-back, have excelled at under-21 level and the former in particular looks ready for a loan,” Waugh wrote.
Neave has been regarded as one of Newcastle’s best attacking prospects and a season of senior football could be viewed as the next step in his development, if only to increase his cache and sell him later.
Waugh also mentioned full-back Leo Shahar as a player who has impressed for the under-21s and could benefit from regular first-team football elsewhere.
Perhaps the most notable name mentioned by Waugh, however, was Alex Murphy. The 21-year-old defender earned his first senior Republic of Ireland call-up recently, but opportunities at Newcastle have been limited.
“Alex Murphy, the 21-year-old defender, has reached the stage where he needs a loan or permanent exit, given he has started a solitary game,” Waugh wrote.
With Newcastle expected to recruit in several positions this summer, competition for places could increase further, but it’s not that loaned-out players have never panned out for the Magpies, making this a lose-lose idea, at least on paper, and until they prove us wrong, at this point.
