Australia wonderkid Garang Kuol is ‘embracing everything’ to do with Newcastle United after sealing his £300,000 move to the Premier League high-flyers, Magpies boss Eddie Howe tells The Chronicle.
Likened to Kylian Mbappe, labelled ‘unbelievable’ by Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez, and tipped to become Australia’s greatest ever footballing talent, Kuol would be forgiven for letting all that praise go to his head.
But the former Central Coast Mariners starlet is no ordinary 18-year-old.
“To see Garang in the crowd with the fans (at Fulham), that’s just him,” former youth coach Craig Carley tells the Toon Under podcast after Kuol was spotted in the away end during Newcastle’s thumping 4-1 win at Craven Cottage last weekend.
“He’s such a down-to-earth kid. He would give anyone who wants a conversation the time of day.”
Kuol’s outstanding talent, coupled with a maturity far beyond his tender years, certainly bodes well as one of the most exciting prospects ever to emerge from Down Under looks to live up to his colossal potential at St James Park.
And Howe, having worked with Kuol for only a couple of days, is already impressed about the teenager’s determination to settle in his new surroundings.
Garany Kuol making excellent first impression at Newcastle United
“(Sitting with the fans at Craven Cottage) shows the type of lad that he is,” beams the former Bournemouth boss.
“He is embracing everything to do with Newcastle and I’d encourage that. He’s in amongst the supporters. He will have a huge feeling of what Newcastle means now to the supporters.”
Kuol, who scored four goals in nine A-League games for Central Coast Mariners, is yet to receive the requisite work permit that would allow him to make his Premier League debut in black-and-white. The one-time Celtic target is likely to go out on loan in January, with Belgium or Portugal his most likely destinations.
“He’ll have a good role model in (Allan) Saint-Maximin at Newcastle. (He’s) very, very similar in terms of pace. He loves to beat a man and drive into the box. He’s got that X-Factor,” Carley adds.
“Someone like Mbappe; it’s a big call but that’s how high I believe he can go. I believe he can be one of the best players in the world. He’s just so direct and loves to beat a man, drive into the box, score and create goals.
“It’s scintillating to see. He’s going to be a star. I really do believe he will go on to be one of the best players in the world.”
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