The club are looking to strengthen the playing squad, with a particular focus on teenage talents. Dan Ashworth had great success with this approach at Brighton, with the idea being that it strengthens the squad and players are cheaper to sign in their early years as a professional.
Garang Kuol is the first example of a player signed from abroad and it is likely that more with his profile will follow. At Brighton, Ashworth oversaw the signings of Moises Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister among others.
Newcastle will be able to sign a higher calibre of teenage talent than Brighton could, which is exciting to think about. Despite our owner’s wealth, it is still difficult to sign these players due to the huge competition. Andrey Santos was being looked at, but Chelsea have stolen a march to sign him.
Below, we discuss five young players that should be on our radar over the coming windows.
Giorgio Scalvini – Atalanta
This one might be very optimistic. Scalvini has already been linked with a move to Tottenham. With Antonio Conte at the club, they do have an advantage in the Italian market.
Scalvini is a young centre back at Atalanta, who has already played 29 times in Serie A. Considering he is only 19, that is extremely impressive and underlines how good he already is.
As a defender, he is capable of playing on both sides. Scalvini would need some time to adjust to English football, but he has the physical attributes to be a success on these shores. He is 6’4″ and quick across the ground. Despite his height, he can be bullied in the air. This is something that will improve with experience.
He looks to be aggressive in his defending, with an average of 2.7 tackles and 2.17 interceptions per ninety minutes. If we could attract Scalvini to the club, he and Sven Botman could be our centre back pairing for the next decade.
Desire Doue – Rennes
There is always a lot of exciting midfield talent in France. Desire Doue could be the next breakout star in that position. He is already playing first team football for Rennes in Ligue 1 and the Europa League. This season, he has three goals across 16 appearances, four of which came as a starter.
He is a central midfielder, who looks to drive forward with the ball and take up goal-scoring positions. There are similarities between him and Joe Willock in terms of playing style. Due to this, there is a good chance that he would suit Eddie Howe’s style of play.
As an attacker, he can cover ground quickly and he takes up dangerous positions when he gets into the final third. An average of 0.2 non-penalty expected goals (npxG) and 2.65 shots per ninety minutes shows the threat he poses, even if the sample size is small. This places him in 93rd and 99th percentiles for these respective metrics.
Out of possession, he is mobile and keen to play his part in the defensive work. Five yellow cards this season shows he can be rash, but with work, he can be more effective.
Considering the talent in France and Doue’s exciting performances as a 17-year-old, he should certainly be on our radar.
Roony Bardghji – FC Copenhagen
Bardghji only turned 17 in November and he is already starting regularly for FC Copenhagen. He has even featured in the Champions League, which is impressive for a player of his age. As Copenhagen are vulnerable to bigger money bids, he is a player we could sign in the next 18 months.
The 17-year-old is a winger, who has predominantly played on the right, but he has the technical ability to play other roles. In the league, he has contributed three goals and a single assist.
Scouts won’t fail to notice Bardghji as he is a player that catches the eye. He likes to dribble with the ball, with his quick feet allowing him to beat opposition defenders. This helps him create space to either pass to a team-mate or get a shot away.
As a young Swedish player, he may be attracted to St James’ Park, as we already have two Swedish internationals at the club. That could make the transition an easier one for him.
In the next 18 months, Bardghji will move to a club in one of Europe’s top leagues. It would be a hugely impressive piece of business if that were Newcastle.
Marcos Leonardo – Santos
Santos have a very decorated history that includes Pele and Neymar. It is little surprise that there is a lot of excitement about their latest breakout star, Marcos Leonardo.
This season, he has contributed 13 goals, at a rate of 0.41 every 90 minutes. This is just shy of a goal every other game, which is impressive for a teenager. His xG per ninety minutes is also 0.41. Leonardo is scoring at the rate expected from him. As he gets more experience, his finishing could improve.
As would be expected from a Brazilian, Leonardo is good with his feet, as he can move it quickly to create space or win a free kick.
The main reason for his goal return is his anticipation. He is good at reading attacking phases of play and getting in the right positions. This is something that can be trickier to coach.
Leonardo is raw, but he could develop into an excellent centre forward. He also could be used out wide.
Vitor Roque – Athletico Paranaense
This would be a huge coup for the club. Roque has already been linked with Real Madrid, Chelsea and Barcelona. Real Madrid normally monopolise the market for young Brazilian attackers, but we also have a presence in the country.
The 17-year-old has been playing regularly in Brazil, contributing five goals and two assists. There are some similarities in his playing style to Richarlison and Gabriel Jesus, as he works hard and can create chances for others, as well as scoring goals.
His average of 2.85 shot creating actions per ninety minutes places him in the 76th percentile among forwards. For a teenage striker, this is an impressive number and underlines the value he brings to a team.
Roque is full of confidence, despite his tender years. He enjoys running powerfully with the ball and isn’t afraid to take a shot at goal. His acceleration takes him past opposition defenders with ease and some Brazilian analysts have dared to compare him with the legendary Ronaldo in his playing style.
Endrick has stolen the attention, but Vitor Roque has the potential to be world class. If we are looking to sign a young attacker, he should be near the top of the list.
