NewcastleWorld’s information contradicts what a former Sunderland scout has been saying about Lewis Miley.
A former Sunderland, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United scout has claimed Lewis Miley could be on the move this summer.
Newcastle United are understood to have zero interest in selling their academy star. Whispers emerged earlier in the window suggesting Miley was unhappy at his lack of game time at St James’ Park.
He made his first-team debut on the final day of the 2022-23 campaign and an injury crisis the following season saw him take centre stage. A back injury ruled Miley out for several months but he returned last winter.
Eddie Howe gave the 19-year-old sporadic appearances from the bench as Sandro Tonali, Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton pinned down the midfield positions. However, the Toon boss often turned to Miley before the more experienced Joe Willock or Sean Longstaff.
Ex-Sunderland scout drops Lewis Miley bombshell
NewcastleWorld expects Miley to stay and continue his development under Howe, with more chances for minutes due to the Champions League congestion. Ex-Sunderland chief scout Brown - who worked at Spurs as recently as 2022 - hinted at the Magpies being open to offers.
“Eddie Howe wants to sign a new midfielder,” he told Football Insider. “Of course, they’ve got Joelinton who plays that box-to-box role, with Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali in there as well, so where does a new option fit?
“You have to look at the squad, because it’s the players on the fringes who will be affected. They’ve got Lewis Miley there, who I’m not sure they see being a first-team regular. He’s very talented and he’s been in and around the squad, but I think if they get a new midfielder in, they could listen to offers for him.
“Longstaff is the other one, he’s been linked with Leeds and that would free up space. But both of those players will find themselves further down the pecking order if somebody like Gallagher comes in, and they’ll be looking to move on in search of regular minutes.”
Eddie Howe on Lewis Miley
Howe refuted any suggestion of selling Miley when grilled by the media earlier this year. He said: “Lewis is absolutely pivotal to our future here. From my perspective, he’s going absolutely nowhere. We want to build the team with him in it for many, many years. That is my thought process.”
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Sean Longstaff sale
Miley will likely play a more prominent role now Longstaff is heading for the St James’ Park exit. It is understood that Leeds United have finally struck a deal for the North Shields native.
A fee worth around £15million, including add-ons, can be absorbed onto the balance sheet as Longstaff is an academy product. Selling Miley would also benefit Newcastle’s PSR position but Toon chiefs wish to keep him on Tyneside.
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