Newcastle United are preparing for a Premier League season in 2022, according to Football Manager 2017.
With a return to the Premier League on the horizon, Newcastle United fans may be wondering where the current team could be in a few years time with Rafa Benitez at the helm.
Well, HITC Sport has used Football Manager 2017 to try and help predict where the Magpies will be in the year 2022, and fortunately for Newcastle supporters, they are in the Premier League – though the last five years had not been without their difficulties.
Benitez left in 2018 and Ronald Koeman is now in charge, after succeeding Gary Rowett, but what does the 2022 Newcastle lineup look like according to FM 2017?
GK: Simon Mignolet
Former Sunderland goalkeeper Simon Mignolet is Newcastle’s number one, having left Liverpool for St James’ Park. He would surely have a lot of work to do to win the fans over.
Ex-Sunderland goalkeeper Simon Mignolet has joined Newcastle by 2022
RB: Havard Nordtveit
Newcastle paid West Ham £7.75 million for Havard Nordtveit, and it appears that the Norwegian has done little to justify such a fee being spent on him.
CB: Mike van der Hoorn
The current Swansea defender left to return to the Eredivisie where he subsequently attracted Newcastle’s attention. His form since arriving has probably left supporters wishing he hadn’t come onto their radar.
CB: Dominique Heintz
Dominique Heintz – who currently plays for Cologne – cost Newcastle £13 million having been signed by Koeman.
Josh Tymon
LB: Josh Tymon
Josh Tymon is currently one of the brighter prospects at Hull, but FM 2017 expects him to have moved to Newcastle from Brentford for over £6 million by 2022.
DM: Nampalys Mendy
Nampalys Mendy may have endured a tough year at Leicester, but he proves to be a key man for Newcastle by the time 2022 rolls around.
DM: Kaan Ayhan
Newcastle are Kaan Ayhan’s fourth Premier League club. The 22-year-old is only really filling the void left by injured captain Sergio Alvarez at the start of the season.
Ayoze Perez remains at Newcastle
RW: Adam Ounas
Adam Ounas arrived at Newcastle for £8 million despite not playing a single minute in the Premier League in two years with Manchester United.
LW: Nikola Vlasic
Nikola Vlasic goes into the 2022/23 season worth £31 million, and is Newcastle’s most creative player having inspired their most recent promotion-winning campaign.
AM: Ayoze Perez
Ayoze Perez is beginning his ninth season in Newcastle when 2022 rolls around. His unspectacular time with the club is still yet to really ignite.
ST: Aleksandar Mitrovic
Aleksandar Mitrovic is Newcastle’s vice-captain by 2022, having remained with the club throughout the ups and the downs – though he did leave to join Valencia on loan. His goalscoring record still leaves a lot to be desired.
Aleksandar Mitrovic is Newcastle’s current vice-captain
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
