Newcastle United wonderkid Sean Neave has signed a new contract with the club after breaking into the first team during the 2024/25 campaign under Eddie Howe.
It looks like a no-brainer from the Magpies after the young striker impressed in their youth setup, earning himself a spot in the first-team setup last season.
Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe has made a habit of promoting promising young players from the academy to the first team since taking over as manager in 2021. Lewis Miley is considered a rough diamond at Newcastle, having already made a good number of Premier League starts at 19.
Additionally, Elliot Anderson had broken into the starting XI under Howe before he was reluctantly sold to Nottingham Forest in 2024.
Sean Neave picked up a Carabao Cup winners’ medal for being on the bench in the final at Wembley Stadium, exposing himself to what could potentially be a common occurrence for the Magpies.
With Neave’s new deal signed, journalist Craig Hope has shared what Howe has planned for the 18-year-old this summer.
Sean Neave celebrates after scoring for Newcastle United Under 21s against Nottingham Forest Under-21s.
Photo by Harriet Massey/Newcastle United via Getty Images
Sean Neave to be given first-team chances at Newcastle United this summer
Last season, Neave did something that very few have done before at Newcastle. He skipped the Under-21s to get a place in the first-team setup.
Although he was not given his professional debut, he was exposed to a lot of high-level football, which can only benefit him in the long run. Neave earned the call-up from Howe after impressing for Newcastle’s Under-18s, scoring seven goals and bagging two assists in seven games.
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After his exposure in the 2024/25 campaign, it has been confirmed by Hope that Neave will be given the opportunity to impress Howe during pre-season. The Magpies play Celtic in July before travelling to Singapore and Asia for a tour.
Newcastle conclude their pre-season with a game against Atletico Madrid for the Sela Cup. Hope also stated that he has heard “lots of good things” about Neave, and that Newcastle staff think very highly of him.
Neave will likely be joined by several other young players in pre-season, all to impress Howe ahead of the new season.
Newcastle United are becoming a gold mine for young talent after Sean Neave’s new contract
It has been confirmed that Neave’s new deal at Newcastle runs for three years, keeping him on Tyneside until 2028.
He joins Miley as another young player who has recently signed a new deal at the club, with the midfielder penning a long-term deal with Newcastle in January 2024.
Newcastle fans have every right to get excited by all of the young players coming through their academy at the moment. PIF have completely transformed them since the takeover in October 2021. Newcastle have become a club that poaches young talent from other clubs, rather than one that is forced to see its promising young stars leave.
Neave was just one of many young Newcastle players who impressed in the academy throughout the season, with the likes of Alfie Harrison, Trevan Sanusi and Garang Kuol all showing their quality in the youth setup.
While Neave’s new contract is done, Newcastle are on the hunt for a new Under-21s head coach after it was announced that Diarmuid O’Carroll has left to join Sparta Prague.