Newcastle United plan to tie midfielder down to new long-term deal - contract expires in 2026

Newcastle United are looking to reward Lewis Miley's impressive form with a new long-term contract at the end of the season.

Miley signed his first professional contract with The Magpies back in May, shortly before he made his Premier League debut against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. The 17-year-old has since emerged as an important player in Eddie Howe's side over the past month.

Newcastle's injury situation has seen Miley become a regular starter, grabbing assists against Chelsea and AC Milan before becoming the club's youngest ever Premier League goalscorer in the 3-0 win over Fulham on Saturday. He is likely to retain his place in the starting line-up for Saturday's trip to Luton Town in the Premier League (3pm kick-off).

With Champions League and Premier League experience already under his belt at 17-years-old, Miley could soon start to attract genuine transfer interest if he continues to progress. According to reports from DefensaCentral in Spain, Real Madrid have an eye on the Geordie youngster.

The maximum length of a professional contract offered to a player under 18 is just three years in the Premier League. As a result, Miley's current deal will expire in 2026.

But once the midfielder turns 18 in May, Newcastle will be able to tie him down to a new long-term contract. According to The Telegraph, the club want to secure the teenager's long-term future with a deal that will come into effect in the summer of 2024. Miley is one player who has benefitted from Newcastle's injury situation with the absences of players such as Sean Longstaff, Joe Willock, Elliot Anderson and Sandro Tonali seeing him thrust into a regular starting spot in Howe's side.

"Whenever you're in this situation and you have to deal with players missing, there are always opportunities for other players to step in and state their claims," Howe told The Gazette. "Lewis would be someone who has done that along with several other players. I think when everyone does return, the group will be stronger for it."

Miley's experience in the first-team could by-pass any need to send him out on loan in order to gain experience. But Howe couldn't completely rule out any future loan move for the youngster.

"Who knows, it's very difficult to tell," Howe added. "I thought it wouldn't have been right to send Lewis on loan [in the summer], I don't think that was appropriate and he was also too close to playing here.

"Some players miss the loan system completely because they develop so quickly they come straight into the first team and stay there. The rest will be dictated by Lewis and how well he performs."