As the summer transfer window looms, Newcastle United are eager to continue nurturing their own talent.
While Newcastle want at least three summer signings, Eddie Howe knows he cannot merely rely on the transfer market to improve his squad.
The Newcastle United manager needs to enhance the players he already has, whilst also ensuring that the club’s younger talent hit their potential.
That is certainly the case with Lewis Miley, the Newcastle United wonderkid who has been linked with a move away from Tyneside.
Newcastle United’s internal stance on Lewis Miley
Despite barely playing this season, Eddie Howe has no plans to sell Miley.
Now new details on how the Magpies feel about the midfielder have emerged, with the Athletic’s Chris Waugh providing an update on the 19-year-old’s future in a Q&A.
On Miley, Waugh wrote: “Newcastle have no intention of selling Miley. Several senior figures have reiterated, publicly and privately, that the 19-year-old is crucial for the long-term future.
“They want to eventually build the team around Miley, even if the form of Joelinton, Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali, and his own injury issues, means that his game time has been limited this season.
“Miley will be linked with other clubs because he is a supreme talent, but Newcastle are not countenancing losing their academy graduate.”
Why Lewis Miley could suddenly play for Newcastle this season
It has been a challenging season for Miley.
It started with injury, while he has struggled for consistent minutes since returning to fitness.
However, that was always going to happen. While he was a key player during the 2023/24 campaign, that was largely down to necessity. While Miley justified his place in the Newcastle midfield, he only played regularly because of the Magpies’ issues in that position.
With Sandro Tonali back from suspension and Joelinton fit, Miley has not featured as much as he would have hoped. In total, the teenager has made 18 appearances in all competitions this season, scoring twice.
Miley is expected to play more next season, with Newcastle set to endure more games as they prepare to return to Europe.
But with two games to go this season, the local lad might have a role to play.
Joelinton is injured, while Joe Willock missed Newcastle’s win over Chelsea with a thigh problem. It is unclear when either player will return.
Therefore, Miley could feature in the Magpies’ starting XI against Arsenal or Everton. That will depend on whether or not Howe opts to revert back to his 4-3-3 formation. He used a 3-4-3 shape against Chelsea, with Sven Botman coming into the side.
But if Howe wants to utilise his favoured system in the final two games, Miley could get the chance to feature.
The youngster did feature off the bench on Sunday. He replaced Botman in the 55th minute, helping Newcastle hold on for a crucial win in the race for Champions League qualification.
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