Newcastle United have not produced a home grown talent in a number of years.
Newcastle have been criticised in some quarters for not developing their own youngsters.
Adam Armstrong is one player to have shown promise in Newcastle’s youth academy in recent times, but ultimately he had to move elsewhere for first-team football.
Newcastle still have Freddie Woodman, Sean Longstaff and Cal Roberts all threatening to make the breakthrough.
However, Benitez has stuck by his more senior options in the main, with the academy graduates struggling for game time.
There is a feeling that Newcastle should have done more to have produced some home grown players.
But Benitez insists that any criticism of his side for failing to develop their own players is not fair.
He said: ”There is the claim we don’t produce any players through the academy system but that’s not true. We have so many kids around who love football and they’d be really pleased to be in a top side like this, so you can attract anyone. Still, I can see the potential.”
Newcastle have recently offered Longstaff and new contract, and he looks to be the academy product who is closest to the senior squad right now.
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