Opinion: Elliot Anderson can become Newcastle’s own Phil Foden this season

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Every club dreams of having their own Phil Foden, and Newcastle United are no different.

He has developed into a superstar for Manchester City, coming through the club’s academy and becoming a Premier League and England star. For many, he’s a generational talent. And he hasn’t cost Pep Guardiola’s side a penny.

That’s the dream, and one Newcastle hope to achieve. We’ve seen the likes of Sean Longstaff and Paul Dummett come through the academy and perform well, but they aren’t top class.

However, there is belief that Elliot Anderson could be the next homegrown star for Newcastle. And, following a report from the Telegraph, this season could be the start of something special.

Elliot Anderson could now stay at Newcastle instead of being loaned out

The teenager excelled on loan at Bristol Rovers in League Two last season, leading to a lot of interest from clubs higher up the footballing pyramid.

He looked likely to go out on loan, possibly to the Championship, but that no longer appears to be the case.

According to the Telegraph, Eddie Howe has decided to keep Anderson at St James’ Park this season. The report adds that the club are impressed with his talent and growing maturity.

He’s featured heavily in pre-season, even starting in midfield against Benfica. While it wasn’t his best performance, he did show some nice touches against very strong opposition.

With the 19-year-old now set to stay at Newcastle, he will expect to add to his single Premier League appearance. That came in 2021 when Steve Bruce gave him his debut off the bench against Arsenal.

He’s developed a lot since then, and could be about to enjoy a breakout year.

It’s essential that Howe is careful with Anderson, just like Guardiola was with Foden. The City boss often ignored calls to play him more or loan him out, and he is now reaping the rewards.

The same thing can happen with Anderson and Newcastle. He will be an option for us this season, even if he’s not playing every single minute every week.

But getting experience in the Premier League in what will hopefully be a good team is going to be vital for his development. It might even be more beneficial than playing regularly in the Championship.

Newcastle have a star in the ranks who is ready to burst, and Howe looks set to take a chance on him. If he can emulate even half of what Foden has achieved then we will have an excellent player.