Newcastle are finally beginning to develop an academy that was so often neglected through the Mike Ashley years.
We’ve seen investment, an improvement in performance across Under-18 and Under-21 age groups, the development of Elliot Anderson before his PSR-driven sale and the recent emergence of Lewis Miley.
Just yesterday, we release a piece on the three youth talents ‘closest’ to breaking into Eddie Howe’s first team picture and one of those has just landed a new deal at the club.
Geordie forward signs
Sean Neave has signed a new three-year deal at Newcastle United.
As revealed by Craig Hope on Tuesday morning, it seems the 18-year-old forward is highly thought of on Tyneside and has been rewarded for his impressive rise over the 2024/25 season, extending his contract until 2028.
The versatile striker was named on the bench in seven of our final 11 Premier League games and was part of the squad for our Carabao Cup final win over Liverpool in March.
Hope reveals that he’s ‘heard lots of good things about the striker’, revealing that staff ‘think a lot of him’ as the England Under-18 international prepares to be in and around the first team squad for this summer’s pre-season programme.
Howe hails Neave’s technical quality
Speaking about the teenager a few months ago, Eddie Howe praised Neave’s technical ability and knack of scoring goals in training games.
The forward scored seven goals in seven Premier League Under-18 games and immediately replicated that form in the Premier League 2, scoring four in five at Under-21 level.
However, the next challenge is developing physically and finding his best position, with the youngster able to play up top, out wide or as an attacking midfielder:
“We have used him in various roles but what I will say is he is a goalscorer,” Howe said. “We find in training and practice games he will pop up with a goal which is a great skill to have.”
“He’s doing very well. He’s very young and I need reminding of that sometimes because he is competing on an even field technically.”
“Physically, he has a lot of growth to come, he has to fill out his body. He has to become stronger. It is probably now about finding him a set position.”
