The U21 European Championships have kicked off. Newcastle supporters will be keeping an eye on potential new arrival Sandro Tonali and January signing Anthony Gordon. Both will be hoping to play a big part for their respective countries.
It will be a tournament that we are scouting, as the club are now in the market for the very best young talent. In the future, some of those playing could be stepping out regularly at St James’ Park. Below, we list five players that we believe should – and perhaps could – be on the club’s radar:
Zeno Debast – Belgium – Anderlecht
Zeno Debast is a centre back that has emerged from the Anderlecht academy, which is one of the most prolific in Germany. He has played for the Belgian national team throughout the age groups and has collected three caps for the senior team. If he continues on his current trajectory, it is a matter of time before he moves to one of Europe’s top leagues.
He is right footed and it is obvious that he has been schooled in the modern style. Debast is comfortable with the ball at his feet, averaging 63.91 passes per ninety minutes. This shows he is used to playing for a team that dominates the ball. His average of 4.79 progressive passes and 0.78 progressive carries per ninety minutes underlines the confidence in his game.
Although he is confident, Debast remains raw, as shown by his success rate of 83.6%. This puts him in the 53rd percentile among defenders. It is an area that will improve as he gains experience and his decision making gets better.
It might not be a move for this summer, but we will need a long-term replacement for Fabian Schar. Belgium have had a lot of good centre backs in the last 20 years. He is a player we should be following.
Ian Maatsen – Netherlands – Chelsea
For those that regularly watch the EFL, Ian Maatsen won’t be a new name. He is one of the players currently registered to Chelsea, but he has spent a lot of time away from Stamford Bridge. He has had loan spells with Charlton Athletic, Coventry City and Burnley. Last season, he was one of the standout players in the Championship, as he contributed four goals and six assists.
Eddie Howe would like to add a more attack-minded full-back to his ranks. For all of Dan Burn’s postitives, he didn’t offer a lot in the opposition half. Maatsen would be a major upgrade, as he averaged 0.99 shots and 2.55 shot creating actions per ninety minutes. These rank in the 82nd and 76th percentiles respectively.
In possession, he is comfortable with the ball, as would be expected from a Dutchman. He is capable of progressing the ball with his passing and ball-carrying.
The big doubts about him would centre on his physicality. Maatsen is just over 5 ft 5 in, which is short. He is vulnerable aerially as a result, averaging 0.58 successful duels per ninety minutes. This places him in the 14th percentile.
He may not be the right left-back for us, due to this. However, his qualities on the ball and his end product mean he is a player worth following.
Maxence Caqueret – France – Lyon
The pending signing of Sandro Tonali means that a move this summer is unlikely, but Maxence Caqueret would have been one of my targets this summer. He has been excellent in Ligue 1 for a while and he will captain the French U21 team this summer. At the age of 23, he is now ready for a move to the Premier League.
Unlike Tonali, Caqueret is a more classic number six in his style. Although he can also be used in a more advanced central role, with the majority of his minutes coming in a double pivot for Lyon in the last 12 months. His return of four goals and seven assists shows the quality he has in the attacking half.
Caqueret averages 3.84 shot creating actions and 0.17 expected assisted goals (xAG) per ninety minutes, ranking him in the 91st and 87th percentiles respectively. These are really good numbers, with his creativity coming in open play and set pieces. He can also score directly from free kicks.
The Frenchman is capable of progressing the ball through passes or carries. More impressively, he is good at taking up positions between the lines to receive forward passes.
Out of possession, Caqueret is dogged and likes to be an active defender. He averages 2.83 tackles and 1.27 interceptions per ninety minutes. A total of just two yellow cards in Ligue 1 show that he stays the right side of the referee.
A team will sign an excellent midfielder one day, capable of doing it all, as he is unlikely to stay with Lyon forever. They missed out on European football last season, which will increase their need to sell.
Oscar Gloukh – Israel – RB Salzburg
Israel isn’t considered one of the hotbeds of world football, but they may have a very good player coming through at the moment. Oscar Gloukh is an exciting talent, who has been picked up by RB Salzburg. Red Bull have one of the best scouting networks in the world, so Gloukh must have something special to be picked up by them.
He is best when used in the number ten position, although he could be coached to play out wide or as a number eight. Gloukh catches the eye when you watch him, due to his low centre of gravity. It can be easy for him to glide past challenges. Due to his pace and agility, he is a big threat on the counter attack. That will be when you see him at his best during this competition.
Gloukh is excellent at reading attacking phases, as he can often be seen making well-timed runs into the box to attack crosses.
During last summer’s U19 European Championships, he was one of the stars in Israel’s run to the final. They lost to England, but Gloukh scored the goal. He is a player worth following for the future.
Abel Ruiz – Spain – Braga
Spain are always a team worth following at youth competitions. They regularly produce great players and their profiles usually transfer nicely to English football. Abel Ruiz could be the forward to watch out for this summer.
After coming through La Masia, he moved to Portugal to join Braga. It has been a steady, albeit unremarkable few years for Ruiz. It seems unlikely that he will ever reach the heights that some had hoped, but he is an effective and technical young forward. He could operate on either flank if needed and has some versatility.
Newcastle will be in the market for a young, versatile and cheap forward to offer squad depth. Howe likes players that can be versatile and Ruiz’s schooling at Barcelona will mean he has a good tactical understanding of the game.
Ruiz is best at linking up play and creating chances for others. This season, he scored eight and assisted six in the Portuguese league. It is a solid output, even if they aren’t numbers that will grab the headlines.
His reading of the game means he regularly collects the ball in dangerous situations. Ruiz has 7.71 progressive pass receipts ranking him in the 93rd percentile. Further to this, he averages 6.71 touches in the penalty area.
There are doubts about whether he can thrive at the highest level, while his poor aerial presence would be a concern in the Premier League. That said, if Ruiz has a good summer with Spain, he could emerge as a good option for us, as he has some European experience and wouldn’t command a massive fee.
