Newcastle United may be struggling right now but they have plenty of talented youngsters coming through the ranks.
Newcastle United manager Rafa Benitez currently has bigger things to think about than the club’s promising teenage talent. However in time the Spaniard could well turn to the academy, assuming he gets the Magpies back into the top half of the table in the coming months.
Not many Newcastle youngsters have broken through and stayed there in recent times, but the players are there.
Here we take a look at three Newcastle teenagers to keep a close eye on in 2018:
Lewis McNall
Exciting young striker Lewis McNall has been making waves in Newcastle’s academy for years and the 18-year-old now needs to prove he can score regularly for the under-23s after netting a truck full at youth level.
While Adam Armstrong is the perfect example of how hard it is for a young forward to get any significant game time at St. James’ Park right now, McNall is certainly on the right path and worth watching closely.
Matthew Longstaff
The captain of Newcastle’s under-18 side and a real star in the making, 18-year-old Matthew Longstaff is a holding midfielder with maturity beyond his years and the potential to become a Newcastle star further down the line.
There is still a way to go, with limited chances at under-23 level thus far, yet if he continues on his current trajectory there will be more than one Longstaff impressing at St. James’ Park.
Mackenzie Heaney
One of the jewels in Newcastle’s academy crown, 18-year-old Mackenzie Heaney is a midfielder tipped for great things.
Much like the other players on this list, the England under-17 international will have to go some to impress Benitez, yet there is no doubting his potential.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
