‘I’ll be honest’: Magpies coach admits 20-year-old player may well leave Newcastle in January

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Newcastle United U21’s coach Elliott Dickman is unsure as to whether Santiago Munoz will remain at the club beyond January.

That’s what’s reported by The Shields Gazette, as the 20-year-old’s loan deal is currently set to expire in January, and the Magpies are yet to decide whether to trigger the buy-option in the Mexican’s contract.

The centre-forward arrived at Darsley Park in the summer of 2021 on an 18-month loan deal from Liga MX side Santos Laguna.

However, much to his own disappointment, Munoz has been plagued with injuries since arriving on Tyneside.

As a result, he has made just nine appearances for the Magpies’ U21’s side, only two of which have come from the starting XI this term.

Munoz might leave Newcastle in January

Dickman has revealed Newcastle are yet to make a decision on Munoz’s future, with the player currently set to return to Santos Laguna in January.

As quoted by The Shields Gazette, the Toon’s U21’s coach claimed: “Santi’s injured, he’s in the hands of the medical team.

“In terms of what the next stages are for Santi, I’ll be honest with you, I really don’t know.

“I’m sure once the decision has been made somebody will let people know.

“At this moment in time, the main focus is getting Santi fit and getting him back on the grass and getting him involved in games. We’ll see what happens.”

Munoz must have sparked an interest at Darsley Park, as the 20-year-old was given the chance to train with Eddie Howe’s first-team on numerous occasions.

He even made his non-competitive debut for the north-east outfit during pre-season this year, coming off the bench as a 90th minute substitute at St James’ Park in a 2-1 win over Athletic Bilbao.

Given these opportunities, it is only fair to assume the youngster has impressed during his near 18-month spell on Tyneside.

However, as a 20-year-old, the regularity of Munoz’s injuries is somewhat worrying. With this in mind, Newcastle may struggle to justify giving the Mexican a permanent long-term deal with the club.

Whilst he may have proven he has the natural talent to succeed, there would be little to no point in having him amongst the Toon’s ranks if he is constantly going to be treated on the medical table.

Consequently, it appears unlikely the club will extend his deal beyond January.