Newcastle United's new Brazilian hope quietly impressing at academy level

Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton have established themselves as firm favourites at Newcastle United after playing integral roles in the Magpies rise from relegation certainties to Carabao Cup winners and Champions League qualifiers.

The Brazilian duo have taken to life on Tyneside with surprising ease and are now classed as key figures within a United squad looking to become regular challengers for major honours over the coming months and years. They could soon be joined by a new Samba star who is quietly making a name for himself in the Magpies academy ranks - although unlike his senior team-mates, his journey to St James Park did not begin in São Cristóvão or Aliança but in the unlikely surroundings of Ashington and Berwick-upon-Tweed.

In Matheos Ferreira’s own words, he was born in Northumberland and is the son of a Brazilian father and mother, with the latter also possessing ‘a bit of Italian blood’. The 18-year-old winger’s football journey started within the youth setup at Berwick Rangers and his talent and promise saw him represent Northumberland at county level before he made the big step into the United youth setup in 2020.

After becoming a regular at Under-18 level, Ferreira made an immediate impact on his Under-21s debut by providing an assist in a 2-2 draw with Everton after replacing Australia international Garang Kuol with 20 minutes remaining at Whitley Park. However, Ferreira’s most eye-catching moment in black and white came earlier this week when he netted a brilliant hat-trick as the Magpies Under-18s secured a 5-2 win in an FA Youth Cup third round tie with Portsmouth.

He told The Gazette: “It was a special night for me and my team-mates getting the win. It was a special moment especially after having struggles with a hamstring injury at the start of the season and I feel like I’m now starting to find my rhythm and momentum. I’m glad about that. It was a nice moment and a moment I will remember to get a hat-trick for the Under-18s. What has helped me is the staff and the coaches, they’ve sat me down and shown me ways where I could be more of a threat and all three of my goals were either getting into the box or running in behind the defenders and I was just clinical.”

Moments

Ferreira caught the eye throughout what proved to be an action-packed Youth Cup tie as Chris Moore’s men set up a fourth round home tie with Crystal Palace with a ruthless display that put Portsmouth to the sword on a chilly night at Whitley Park. After fellow winger Michael Mills had put his side in control with two clinical finishes inside the opening seven minutes, it was Ferreira who stole the show as his incisive running and cool head in front of goal helped his secure his first Magpies hat-trick since his hit a treble at Under-14s level.

However, it was perhaps his first goal of the night that showed just why Magpies academy staff are so enthused by the youngster’s progress as his pace and drive took him in behind the Pompey backline before he confidently lifted the ball over visitors goalkeeper Oscar Glover and into the net. For those not in attendance at Whitley Park, think Jacob Murphy’s effort at Watford during Steve Bruce’s managerial reign - but with a finish that brought a goal, rather than one that drew a frustrated response from former Newcastle defender John Anderson as he assessed the action alongside Matthew Raisbeck as part of BBC Newcastle’s commentary team at Vicarage Road.

There is no doubt Ferreira has shown flashes of the talent that can help him progress at Newcastle - but he also showed maturity, confidence and self-awareness as he assessed the qualities he possesses within his arsenal.

When asked to describe his strengths, the youngster replied: “I would say I am comfortable on both sides, left or right and my one-v-ones and crosses into the box. I always think of ways I can impact the team, whether that’s out of possession or in possession. I would say I pick my moments of going at my man and at other times I can go in behind to help the team.”

Momentum

Within days of his Youth Cup heroics, Ferreira was back at Whitley Park as he appeared as a second-half substitute for the Magpies Under-21s as Adam Lawrence’s side suffered a 3-0 defeat in a Premier League International Cup meeting with Dinamo Zagreb. On an afternoon that brought more frustration and disappointment than obvious positives, Ferreira did at least inject some forward momentum as he saw an effort not dissimilar to his first goal against Portsmouth cleared from the line before a goalbound shot was bravely blocked by a Dinamo defender.

Ferriera will look back on 2025 with a great degree of personal satisfaction as he progressed through the Magpies ranks and penned his first professional contract at St James Park - but rather than get carried away with the events of the last 12 months, the winger insisted he will ‘stay present’ as he looks to the new year.

He said: “I would probably say I want to push on with the momentum and see how things go. I am not really thinking too far ahead. I want to stay present.”

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