Newcastle United set for 'huge' boost after seven-month double injury blow & training ground setback

Miley’s breakthrough 2023-24 campaign was cut short due to a back issue and, while preparing for pre-season in June, the 18-year-old suffered a broken metatarsal at Newcastle’s training ground. The injury has seen the midfielder miss all of pre-season as well as the opening nine games of the 2024-25 campaign.

Magpies head coach Eddie Howe described Miley as a ‘big miss from our squad’ and admitted it would be ‘huge’ to have him back alongside Callum Wilson and Alexander Isak after the international break. The teenager hasn’t featured in a competitive game since the 2-0 defeat at Manchester City in the FA Cup quarter-final back in March.

Next up for Newcastle is Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League at St James’ Park on October 19 (3pm kick-off).

But after seven months out, Miley will be carefully reintegrated back into the squad and may get the opportunity to build up his match sharpness with the Under-21s.

Miley has recently shared photos of himself in the gym at Newcastle’s training ground as he steps up his recovery this month. The midfielder made 26 appearances for Newcastle last season, scoring once and grabbing four assists, including one in the Champions League.

He signed a new long-term contract at St James’ Park earlier this year. Once Miley returns, he will be competing with Bruno Guimaraes, Joelinton, Sandro Tonali, Joe Willock and Sean Longstaff for a place in the side.

Miley’s emergence as a first-team player for Newcastle last season proved vital amid an injury crisis and a 10-month suspension for Tonali. While Miley started being regularly named in the starting line-up last season, Howe stressed the importance of managing the teenager’s minutes and ‘protecting’ him.

Of his 26 appearances, Miley completed 90 minutes on 12 occasions last season. Due to his age and status emerging from the academy, Miley could play an important role in Newcastle in the coming years as they continue to battle Premier League Profitability and Sustainability Rules.

Rightly or wrongly, academy graduates are an important tool in helping clubs comply with PSR. They are significantly cheaper than players purchased from elsewhere and any time a club sells an academy graduate, as Newcastle did with Elliot Anderson to Nottingham Forest in the summer, it is classed as ‘pure profit’ in PSR calculations.

Although Miley could struggle for regular game time upon his return to fitness, the club plan for him to continue his development on Tyneside and would likely turn down any loan offers for him in January. The same goes for another promising young player at the club, Trevan Sanusi - who signed his first professional contract earlier this year at 17.

Miley’s 20-year-old brother, Jamie, is currently on loan at Newport County and is recovering from a hernia operation. His younger brother, Mason, 15, has recently broken into Newcastle’s Under-18s side.

For now, Miley will be focusing on getting back up to speed himself as he eyes a return to action later this month.