Newcastle’s first outing of pre-season comes on Wednesday when they play Wolves in the opening game of the 2019 Premier League Asia Trophy in China.
Joselu did not travel with the squad as he confirmed a move back to Spain with Alaves, which saw young striker Elias Sorensen added to the party that jetted out at the weekend.
It could be a big month for the young Dane, with his performances between now and the start of the Premier League season going a long way to determining what his immediate future holds for next season.
If he is given an opportunity in China and throughout the rest of the pre-season programme, he may well be able to force his way into the first-team picture.
Many fans have wanted the 19-year-old to be given a chance, at least on the bench, and they will hope that he can emerge as the next Sean Longstaff, by making the leap from the academy to the senior squad.
Elias Sorensen likely to be part of senior squad or out on loan next season
If he is not deemed ready, he will almost certainly go out on loan for the season, with the club hoping for a better temporary move for him than the disastrous spell at Blackpool, where he struggled to get minutes on the pitch, forcing Newcastle to recall him early.
Sorensen scored a staggering 16 goals from just 24 appearances for the Newcastle second string last season, following on from scoring 11 goals from 22 games at youth level the previous year.
With Newcastle’s striking options at a premium right now, it could be the perfect time to throw him in, under no pressure.
Should he score goals, he could be an option from the bench, and end up saving the club millions in the transfer market.
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