Premier League clubs eyeing highly-rated Newcastle goalkeeper

Woolston, an England youth international, has impressed for club and country over the past two years.

But the teenager has not been offered a professional deal by Newcastle for next season.

Instead, Woolston has been offered a third-year scholarship by the club along with Sean Longstaff, Dan Ward and Jack Hunter.

And a number of top-flight clubs, aware that the 17-year-old could leave in the summer with minimal compensation, are monitoring Woolston’s situation at St James’s Park.

Woolston made headlines, aged 15, by keeping a clean sheet on his debut against Manchester United for United’s Under-21 side at Whitley Park.

The North Shields-born player – who joined Newcastle in 2013 after leaving boyhood club Sunderland – has also caught the eye playing for his country.

Woolston, England’s first-choice at Under-17 level, feels he is at the right club to develop given its track record of bringing through goalkeepers.

Speaking last year about No 1 Tim Krul and Freddie Woodman, he said: “Freddie and Tim are two players that I look up to, and are in places that I’d like to be in the future.

“The quality of goalkeepers at the club, with nearly all of them at the first-team end internationals at various ages, shows where the level is at.

“Hopefully, I can continue with my development and keep my place as an international over the years and eventually make my first-team debut too.”

Striker Tom Heardman, 20, and 19-year-old goalkeeper Brendan Pearson have been offered professional deals by the club.

Heardson’s six-month contract will given him the chance to prove himself, with the Gosforth-born player having been sidelined by an unspecified injury all season.

Meanwhile, Matty Longstaff, younger brother of Sean, is one of 11 teenagers to have been offered scholarships at Newcastle.