Newcastle United continues to invest heavily in its academy structure, with the club targeting and landing some of the most promising domestic prospects as part of a wider effort to improve the pathway toward senior football.
Most recently, NUFC Blog reported on Oct. 7 that Newcastle has completed the signing of young center-back Abdulmalik Bamgbola from Watford.
The left-sided defender spent the previous three seasons in Watford’s academy and attracted interest from several Premier League clubs before
choosing a move to Tyneside.
“Bamgbola has spent the past three seasons in Watford’s academy, attracting interest from Newcastle scouts who continue to scour the country for some of the best domestic talent,” NUFC Blog reported.
The defender will initially join Newcastle’s Under-15s, an age group that has already produced impressive tournament results this season. Newcastle’s Under-15s recently won the Premier League U15 International Tournament, defeating Chelsea in the semifinals before beating Manchester City 1-0 in the final at Cobham. The group then traveled to Rotterdam and won the Orange Veins Cup, defeating Paris Saint-Germain on penalties in the final.
NUFC Blog described Bamgbola as arriving “with big potential,” while noting that Newcastle had beaten multiple Premier League clubs to his signature.
What do you make of Newcastle’s increased investment in academy recruitment, and how important could this pathway become over the next few years? Share your thoughts in the comments.
Join the conversation!
Sign up for a user account at Coming Home Newcastle and get:
- Create community posts on The Feed for everyone to read
- Comment on all articles and community posts
- Recommend comments and community posts
- Enjoy a new, improved notifications system
- Fewer ads
