Eddie Howe has a number of promising young players ready to breakthrough at Newcastle United during the 2022/23 Premier League season, headlined by teen star Elliot Anderson.
Newcastle United players aged 21 or under who can breakthrough in 22/23
Elliot Anderson will hope to lead a clutch of Newcastle United players aged 21 or under to breakthrough this season. Magpies boss Eddie Howe is blessed with an array of promising emerging gems at St James’ Park, who are so far yet to establish their first-team presences.
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Steve Bruce was often reluctant to put too much faith in young prospects during his tenure on Tyneside while fighting to avoid a possible relegation. Howe, likewise, had to back more proven players after taking charge last November with Joe Willock his only regular feature.
Willock joined the Magpies from Arsenal in a £25m permanent transfer in August 2021 at 21-years-old after an initial loan. He would go on to play 2,045 minutes across 29 Premier League appearances through the 2021/22 campaign, whilst also striking home two goals.
The Gunners product was the only Magpies player to open the 2021/22 season aged 21 or under who also featured. Anderson, meanwhile, was one of three Toon teens to take seats on the bench for top-flight matches, but each failed to enter the action for a single second.
Requiring experienced operators further ensured Newcastle did not feature in the top-50 places for the youngest average age of a Premier League starting XI last term. Although the Magpies also did not rank in the top-50 for the eldest average age of any starting line-ups.
Elliot Anderson headlines Newcastle United players now set to breakthrough
Anderson now headlines the list of Newcastle players ready to breakthrough into the first-team fold at St James’ this term. Chronicle Live also report Howe has now decided to keep the 19-year-old on Tyneside after spending the second half of last season at Bristol Rovers.
The Scotland U21 midfielder thrilled during a spell in Joey Barton’s Memorial Stadium side. Anderson offered eight goals and five assists over 21 League Two appearances – starting in 20 for a total 1,761 minutes – to help the Pirates seal automatic promotion to League One.
Several clubs approached Newcastle to debate possible loan deals for Anderson during the first of 2022/23. But after impressing in training with the Toon first-team squad during pre-season in Austria, Anderson will remain under Howe’s wing until, at least, the winter sales.
Anderson should also expect to receive frequent chances to build on his two senior outings in black-and-white so far. Bruce gave the Whitley Bay native his debut during an FA Cup tie at Arsenal in January 2021, before his Premier League bow at the Emirates nine days later.
Joe White can bolster Eddie Howe’s midfield with Newcastle breakthrough
Joe White can further bolster Howe’s midfield options with the 19-year-old’s breakthrough as a Newcastle first-team player this season. The Toon boss has already taken time to run the rule over the Carlisle native’s potential with a seat on the bench for three games in all.
White is yet to make his senior debut with the Magpies in any competition but enjoyed his first-team breakthrough at Hartlepool last season. The Suit Direct Stadium outfit hired the former England U18 international on loan in January and returned 15 League Two outings.
His fourth-tier chances saw White lay on three assists, and also played half an hour against Crystal Palace in the FA Cup. Newcastle saw enough potential from their academy talent’s showings with Pools to also awarded him a new, three-year contract back during March.
Eddie Howe has ‘high hopes’ for Lucas De Bolle as a Newcastle player
Lucas De Bolle is yet to make his senior Newcastle bow, but caught Howe’s eye soon after he took charge. Chronicle Live note the Toon boss promoted the midfielder to train in his first-team set-up after seeing him dazzle in the Magpies’ development squad late last year.
Howe has ‘high hopes’ for the player De Bolle will become in black-and-white, and further named him in four Premier League squads last term. He took a seat on the bench for their meetings with Aston Villa, West Ham, Southampton and Chelsea this February and March.
De Bolle will now hope the 2022/23 campaign returns his breakthrough, seven years after first joining the Newcastle academy fold. Featuring as second-half substitute during their pre-season friendly with Athletic Bilbao will likely have also heightened his expectations.
Dylan Stephenson can benefit from Eddie Howe’s Newcastle striker search
Dylan Stephenson can benefit from Howe’s ongoing search for Newcastle to sign a striker this summer. The forward has produced a prolific record at youth level with the Toon, but he is yet to feature in a first-team squad – let alone step foot onto the pitch to make his debut.
The Ashington-born prospect lashed home 20 goals and two assists over 39 appearances in the Under-18 side at Little Benton. His promotion to the reserves has also since returned 14 goals and four assists from 45 outings, with 12 in 24 Premier League 2 games last term.
Stephenson is already finding form this season, too, with a strike as Newcastle’s U21s beat Sheffield United’s U21s in pre-season. Howe also took a closer look at his potential in the Magpies’ 1-0 win over Atalanta with a non-competitive bow in front of 40,000 at St James’.
Michael Ndiweni ready to breakthrough after catching Eddie Howe’s attention
Michael Ndiweni is ready to breakthrough as a first-team Newcastle player this term after catching Howe’s attention last season. Following Callum Wilson’s severe calf injury picked up in December, Chronicle Live note Howe promoted the 18-year-old to train in his squad.
Howe and his backroom team had already watched Ndiweni in action at youth level before his promotion in training, too. The Toon boss is keen to stay on top of the emerging talents on Tyneside, and may now follow through by awarding Ndiweni a full senior breakthrough.
The Throckley-born forward – who first joined Newcastle’s academy aged 12 – is so far yet to feature in a first-team matchday side. But he boasts a strong record at youth level with 18 goals from 31 appearances for the U18 side and has already hit two in four with the U21s.
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