16-year-old Newcastle youngster has chance of being named on bench vs AC Milan later this evening

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Newcastle could call up one of their young goalkeepers to be on the bench tonight against AC Milan if Martin Dubravka is unavailable due to a UEFA rule.

Three young keepers who have been involved with Newcastle’s youth teams are all in with a chance of appearing on the bench against Milan if Dubravka cannot start.

UEFA’s registration rules mean that Mark Gillespie cannot be included in Newcastle’s Champions League squad, so Loris Karius would become starter and one of Aidan Harris, Adam Harrison or Will Brown will be promoted to the first-team squad.

Dubravka injury means 16-year-old could be on the bench against Milan

It’s still not 100% clear if the Slovakian shot-stopper will be fit enough to play for Newcastle tonight, but reports suggest that, not only does he have a hidden shoulder injury, he is also dealing with an illness.

Mark Gillespie would be unavailable as backup as he’s not included in the Champions League squad due to not being a ‘locally trained player’ of which you need a minimum of eight in the 25-man squad.

If Dubravka does miss the game and Karius starts, then 16-year-old Aidan Harris could be in line for a call-up to the first team against Milan having already featured for Newcastle in UEFA’s Youth League.

Harris has played twice in the European competition where Newcastle were expected to struggle but came out with their heads held high after beating PSG’s youth side two weeks ago.

Alternatively, 21-year-old Will Brown and 17-year-old Adam Harrison are also being considered as options, though Eddie Howe will be hoping that after injuries to Dubravka and Nick Pope, they are not called upon.

Experiencing a Champions League game will be huge for Newcastle’s youngsters

It’s one thing to be supporting the Newcastle team from the sidelines, but it’s another to be involved in the matchday squad and experience what it’s like to play your part in a huge Champions League game against Milan.

For a 16-year-old or 17-year-old it would be a brilliant experience for them to take on board and learn from so that they can use it to further their careers.

Unlike the previous ownership, Newcastle have been looking to heavily invest in their academy and so this opportunity may not be the last chance that these players get to feature in the first-team squad.