Given their qualification into the Champions League for 2023/24, it will be an important season for Eddie Howe and his Newcastle side.
The manager and his backroom staff need to balance their squad so that they’re able to play in the European showpiece, Premier League and the various cup competitions, which means they’ll need to have a deeper squad than currently.
The Magpies have been on the up ever since Howe took the hot seat and the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) too over the club, though it’s also worth remembering that it isn’t just the first-team that needed an overhaul.
Newcastle’s academy and youth teams would also have needed to be propped up with funds, staffing and the like, and it’s perhaps with that in mind that Football Insider note that the club are on the verge of signing 14-year-old Port Vale wonder kid, Michael Mills.
Clearly one for the future, this could be seen as a shrewd move by the club who have one eye on the next few seasons as well as the present.
Newcastle World also say that the club are closing in on a deal to bring 18-year-old prospect, Yankuba Minteh to the club.
Both youngsters may well end up not making the grade, but at this stage no one knows that for sure and so, to that end, Newcastle are being proactive in looking beyond the next couple of years and making sure that there are real foundations put in place.