Latest Newcastle United news and rumours as Eddie Howe's side prepare to kickstart their pre-season schedule
Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe
Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe
The wait for the new campaign is almost over, with the Newcastle United squad set to return for pre-season training next week.
Eddie Howe’s side enjoyed a stellar 2024/25 season, lifting the Carabao Cup and securing Champions League football with a top-five finish. Next term, the team will face challenges on multiple fronts, both domestically and in Europe, making the upcoming month crucial for the Magpies.
Understandably, much of the focus is on the club’s transfer activity, with free agent Antonio Cordero the only new arrival so far. However, the Magpies have already confirmed that the 18-year-old will go out on loan to continue his development, meaning Howe will be working with the same group of players when training resumes in the coming days.
Newcastle’s pre-season schedule includes a trip to face Celtic in the inaugural adidas Trophy, followed by an overseas tour with stops in Singapore and South Korea. The home fixtures in early August will see Espanyol and Atletico Madrid visit St James’ Park as part of the sold out Sela Cup.
As part of the preparations, several youngsters will be eager to impress during pre-season as they push for first-team opportunities next term. Howe has a strong track record of developing and promoting young talent, with Lewis Miley one of the most recent success stories.
Among those hoping for a call-up is teenage midfielder Rory Finneran, who joined the club from Blackburn Rovers last year. Injuries disrupted the Republic of Ireland youth international’s early development at Newcastle, but he made his under-21s debut after returning to fitness.
Sean Neave and Leo Shahar also trained with the first team last season and will be aiming for more involvement during the early stages of pre-season. Neave, in particular, was named on the bench for the Carabao Cup final back in March, although he didn’t make an appearance.
Sam Alabi became the youngest player to train with the first team last season at just 15 years old, but he turns 16 on July 9, shortly after pre-season gets underway. Despite only joining from Oldham’s academy last summer, Alabi has already featured for Newcastle’s under-18s.
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