Lewis Miley 'well ahead of schedule' in Newcastle development | OneFootball

Highlights

An injury-hit Newcastle United produced a fantastic 4-1 win over Chelsea at the weekend. 17-year-old Lewis Miley started the game and got a fantastic assist for the opening goal providing a threaded pass for Alexander Isak to finish.

Newcastle were clear during the summer that Miley wouldn't be loaned out despite interest from Leicester and Stoke. Miley had an impressive pre-season in America with the senior squad and Newcastle believe he's developing fast and well ahead of schedule.

There are no plans for a January loan as a result because Miley is getting minutes at St James' Park. He is also working really hard behind the scenes on both his fitness and physicality.

Newcastle hope to add experience during the January window with cover for the banned Sandro Tonali the priority. But Financial Fair Play remains a concern and constraint. The hope is Tonali will surrender a portion of his wages and this will allow Newcastle to move a bit more freely mid-season, but Eddie Howe has already confirmed the club won't be spending big and will maybe only look at loans.

Newcastle face uphill battle to sign Ruben Neves

Of course, on paper a loan for Ruben Neves makes a lot of sense, but Newcastle haven't started any talks despite Howe admitting he admires the player. Al-Hilal are also not anticipating a mid-season exit, even after the Premier League vote on November 21 failed to ban related-party loans.

Links with Newcastle and Neves are easy to make given both clubs are controlled by PIF. And it's true Neves does still aspire in the long-run to play Champions League football making him open to offers further down the line. But he's only been at Al-Hilal for half a year.

It's actually a harder negotiation if Newcastle do ever proceed because the PIF personnel at Al-Hilal are adamant Neves must stay. This is because Al-Hilal are top of the table and strong contenders to win the Asian Champions League. And because PIF work closely with the Saudi Ministry of Sport on these types of transfers, wider deal-makers also feel it's a bad look for the Saudi Pro League if star names leave so soon after joining.

So even though Newcastle's chairman is Yasser Al-Rumuyan, PIF's governor, Al-Hilal are actually backed by wider government-linked stakeholders who are staunchly against Neves leaving just yet and this will carry a lot of weight if an approach is ever made.

Neves coming back to the Premier League is one to watch for the long term but not something that can be pulled off in January or even next summer unless Al-Hilal's most senior figures and partners have a dramatic change of heart.

Newcastle could target moves for Kalvin Phillips and Hugo Ekitike

Newcastle also still like Scott McTominay, but know he's now become more integral to Manchester United since their summer interest. Kalvin Phillips is another name of interest. An outright purchase, for financial reasons, will be very tricky in January, but a loan could suit all parties. Phillips wants minutes ahead of Euro 2024.

Newcastle could also look to bring in out-of-favour PSG forward Hugo Ekitike on loan with an option to buy. Newcastle were frontrunners to sign Ekitike back in summer 2022, but he joined PSG instead. Reims had actually accepted Newcastle's offer back then but Ekitike delayed moving to wait for Luis Campos to officially join PSG.