Rafa Benitez hasn’t shown much trust in Newcastle’s young players – but is David Brooks good enough to make The Magpies’ gaffer change his tune?
As long as David Brooks keeps performing for Sheffield United, Premier League interest in the young midfielder will only intensify.
The report adds that Arsenal, West Ham and Newcastle United are also now joining the chase for Brooks, who earned his first Wales call-up for the ill-fated World Cup qualifiers earlier this month having previously represented England at youth level.
Sheffield United will understandably play hardball as dreams of back to back promotions increase. The Blades are currently third in the second tier and manager Chris Wilder was unequivocal in stating that Brooks would not be leaving in January.
Nonetheless, if Newcastle are keen, manager Rafael Benitez may have to change his tune regarding young players.
Will Rafa change his tune?
“The ideal situation would be to bring a couple of players from the academy each year but if you want to compete at the highest level it is difficult,” Rafael Benitez told the Sunderland Echo earlier in the year when asked why talented youngsters weren’t getting a chance at Newcastle.
“If you want to do that you have to bring in players from outside, or abroad, to compete with the other teams.”
While Brooks may not have emerged through The Magpies’ academy, the point still stands. Benitez has shown an unwillingness to trust many of Newcastle’s talented youngsters with the likes of Sean Longstaff, Adam Armstrong and Ivan Toney forced to fight for opportunities elsewhere.
Brooks, then, would have to be a really special talent, a la Mikel Merino, to force his way into Benitez’s first-team plans. Having won the prestigious Toulon Player of the Tournement at the prestigious competition this summer, however, Brooks may be exactly that.
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