Summary Newcastle United shifts transfer strategy to focus on signing young talents with high potential. The Toon is eyeing young stars like Ajay Matthews, Brajan Gruda, and Ousmane Diomande for the future. 16-year-old left-sided centre back Aaron Apia signs with Newcastle after rejecting offer from Everton.
After falling agonisingly short of European football last season, Newcastle United are now set to use the transfer window to bring in not just talents for now but find the players that could be the future of the football club.
Newcastle want to bring young talents to Tyneside
If previous seasons under the ownership of PIF were about bringing in established stars, this summer may see Newcastle's transfer strategy pivot towards bringing in young players with high potential.
Newcastle can take Guimaraes to the next level by signing £34m "monster"
The Magpies are fighting Chelsea and Tottenham for this fast-rising talent.
ByAngus Sinclair Jun 25, 2024
The most recent reports out of St James' Park have named the Toon as one of a number of clubs interested in signing Middlesbrough youngster Ajay Matthews. The three-cap England Under-17 international was electric for Boro's youth sides last season scoring 16 goals in just 17 starts.
Joining Matthews on Eddie Howe's shopping list is Mainz winger Brajan Gruda. The 20-year-old contributed four goals and three assists in the Bundesliga last season and would still have room to develop if he is to move to Newcastle. If the Toon are to get a deal for Gruda over the line they will have to fight off interest from fellow Premier League side Aston Villa as well as German sides Bayern Munich, Bayer Leverkusen, Stuttgart, Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig.
On the slightly pricier end of Newcastle's pursuit of young players is Sporting Club's Ousmane Diomande. The Ivorian centre-back is just 20 years of age, however, a fee in the region of £50million could be needed to tempt him away from the Portuguese capital. Despite his high fee, Diomande could be worth the price owing to his performances last season, making 26 appearances as Sporting lifted the league title.
The Toon's mission to sign the next generation of stars doesn't seem to stop there with the latest news suggesting that Newcastle have managed to convince a young talent to move away from another Premier League side.
Everton teenager signs Newcastle contract
As first reported by The Secret Scout on X, Everton youth defender Aaron Apia has signed a contract with Newcastle United. The 2008 born gem is a left-sided centre-back that may make a strong addition to the array of youth talents already at the club.
This recent development follows news from Newcastle World which states that the 16-year-old had previously been on trial at the Tyneside outfit appearing as a substitute in under-18s matches against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Leeds United. Apia may have made an impression during his cameos for the Toon as the teenager has now signed a contract with the club.
The local outlet also understands that Apia rejected a contract offer from Everton before joining Newcastle showing the Toon's determination to bring young talent to the club.
Whilst Apia has made international appearances for Poland's youth sides, the defender also has the possibility to represent both Nigeria and England. With left-sided central defenders at something of a premium in the modern game, there is no doubt that the 16-year-old could be one to watch in the future.