Report: Rafa Benitez impressed by Newcastle’s Josef Yarney

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Josef Yarney has been handed a number of chances for Newcastle United in pre-season and has impressed Rafa Benitez.

According to a report from the Chronicle, Rafa Benitez has been impressed with what he has seen from Josef Yarney during Newcastle’s pre-season campaign, but the Spaniard has some concerns about throwing him into the first-team once the new Premier League season is up and running.

It has been another frustrating summer for Newcastle. There has been movement in the transfer market, but Benitez has been unable to capture the imagination with the business that he has been allowed to do, and pre-season results have probably done little to create a sense of optimism amongst the Toon Army.

Benitez has fielded a number of youngsters throughout those games, and one of the most impressive performers from the under-23 group has been Yarney.

The 20-year-old – who only joined from Everton last year – has slotted in well at centre-back, and the Chronicle suggests that Benitez has been impressed by his displays this summer.

Nevertheless, the Chronicle adds that Newcastle remain keen to strengthen their options at the heart of the defence following the long-term injury sustained by Florian Lejeune. Benitez has his concerns about promoting Yarney too early as he continues to develop his game.

While Benitez appears somewhat reluctant to put too much pressure on Yarney straight away, it is undoubtedly an encouraging sign that some of the youngsters are giving the Spaniard something to think about – even if Benitez would have rather that that process of promoting starlets happened more organically.

In recent years, there have not been too many youngsters breaking through from the under-23s into the first-team, so it is a positive that a few prospects are now on the first-team radar.