Newcastle United make key transfer decision over Football Manager wonderkid after pre-season snub

Newcastle United are planning to once again loan out teenage starlet Garang Kuol, according to reports.

The 19-year-old, who agreed to join Newcastle for around £300,000 in September 2022, is yet to play a competitive first team game for the Magpies and has so far only played in the senior team on two occasions. These appearances both came during a post-season trip to Australia as the Magpies took on Tottenham Hotspur and the A League All Stars in late May, and it now appears that Magpies fans will have to wait a while longer before they see the youngster in Black and White once again. 

Kuol was an unused sub during a 2-0 victory over Hull earlier this week but that appears to be his last outing with the first team squad for the foreseeable future after he was excluded from the club’s 29-man squad for the trip to Japan.

Football Insider understands that Eddie Howe does not see the Australian youngster as part of his plans for the 2024/25 season and it is suspected that a loan spell will be the next step for Kuol as the Magpies try to harness his potential.

Kuol arrived with great fanfare two years ago after firing in six goals in 18 games for Central Coast Mariners in Australia’s top-flight. This form earned him international recognition and in Qatar 2022 he became the youngest footballer to ever make the Australia squad for a World Cup. 

The forward was briefly introduced from the subs bench against France during the group stage to become the ninth youngest player in World Cup history. While later in the tournament against Argentina, he made more history as he became the youngest player since Pele in 1958 to be involved in a World Cup knockout match, the forward even went close to scoring but was denied by a remarkable save by Emi Martinez.

Kuol’s move to the North East was officially finalised by January 2023 where he was almost instantly sent out to the Scottish capital to represent Hearts. The youngster notably fired in a dramatic equaliser against Rangers in a 2-2 draw, but that was as good as it got as he struggled to acclimatise to life up north of the border and got just eight games of football in six months.

The young prodigy was sent out on a second-loan spell to FC Volendam in the Eredivisie but once again failed to set the world alight at the Kras Stadion. In total, he managed one goal in 15 league appearances in the Netherlands as Voldendam were relegated with just 19 points from 34 games.

Kuol can play all across the frontline and is seen as a versatile option for any potential suitors. However, he is not yet developing at the rate Newcastle United fans would have hoped. His next move will play an important role in shaping his career on Tyneside and it is thought that Newcastle’s loan manager Shola Ameobi is taking his time to assess the best option for the forward.