Newcastle United confirm January transfer as striker completes switch

Young striker Dylan Stephenson has joined Scottish Championship side Hamilton Academical on loan from Newcastle until the end of the 2022-23 season. The 20-year-old travelled with Eddie Howe’s first-team to Saudi Arabia in December and scored in the 5-0 win over Al Hilal in Riyadh.

Stephenson is yet to make his competitive first-team debut for Newcastle but also featured in the 1-0 friendly win over Atalanta in pre-season. He has scored five goals in 18 appearances for United’s under-21s side this season.

The Blyth-born forward will join fellow Magpies youngster Lucas De Bolle at Hamilton for the second half of the campaign in what will be his first loan move away from his boyhood club. Stephenson could be in line to make his Hamilton debut this Saturday as the Scottish second tier side travel to face Partick Thistle.

He is the fifth Newcastle player to be loaned out so far this month after Dan Langley joined Spennymoor Town, Joe White completed a temporary switch to Exeter City, Garang Kuol quickly moved north of the border to join Heart of Midlothian and Chris Wood joined Premier League rivals Nottingham Forest until the end of the season with an obligation to buy of £15million.

Stephenson is unlikely to be United’s last loan departure this window with at least a few more departures anticipated. Karl Darlow is set to join Hull City on loan before Tuesday’s deadline with Tigers’ chairman Tan Kesler confirming a deal had been agreed pending an official announcement.