Whilst Newcastle United have completed some major deals with summer, the biggest transfer story surrounding the club has been the potential exit of Alexander Isak to Premier League holders Liverpool.
Until this week, the player had been quiet on the situation, but ahead of the PFA awards, the Swedish striker put out a statement to explain why he would not be in attendance.
Isak first acknowledged the award ceremony and then his silence on the transfer controversy before sharing his perspective on the matter: “The reality is that promises were made and the club has known my position for a long time. To now act as if these issues are only emerging is misleading. When promises are broken and trust is lost, the relationship can’t continue.”
After Isak’s post, the Magpies responded with a statement that denied the existence of any agreements and explained that they would be willing to sell Isak if their conditions are met, but at this stage, that has not happened, and they don’t foresee it happening this window. The statement concluded by saying that Isak would be welcomed to return to training once he accepts the situation.
Whilst the Isak transfer drama has captured the media’s attention, a different club has attempted to recruit another one of Newcastle’s players.
Ipswich approach Newcastle for Miley loan
Ipswich Town have approached Newcastle and inquired about signing 19-year-old midfielder Lewis Miley on a season-long loan.
Sky Sports’ Keith Downie has reported that this approach has been turned down as “Eddie Howe sees the teenager playing a key role” this season. Newcastle will once again be featuring in the Champions League, and it will be their first season playing it under the new format, meaning there’ll be guaranteed a higher level of European games than ever before.
These European fixtures, alongside the three domestic competitions, will require sufficient squad depth, and Miley is seen as a part of this. Downie shared that there has been interest in Miley from other clubs, but at this stage, Ipswich are the only ones to have made a formal approach.
Big season for "key player" Miley
This season is set to be an important one in Miley’s development. Over the last two seasons, he’s shown promise in brief cameos, but this season, with the heavy fixture schedule and Howe’s view of him as a “key player”, he will have more opportunities to prove himself and try and break his way into the team.
Becoming a starter for Newcastle is no easy task, especially in the midfield, as they currently have one of the most cemented midfield threes in the league with Sandro Tonali, Joelinton and Bruno Guimarães. The club have also been linked to Brighton’s Carlos Baleba, which would make the competition for places even tougher.
If, when Miley is given a chance this season, he produces performances of a similar quality to last season, he will be in with a chance of breaking into the first team. Last season, he ranked in the 99th percentile of similar players for tackles made per 90, and he was in the top 5% for tackle success rate.
It’s not just defensively where Miley shines, as he also scored in the league despite only playing in the competition for 300 minutes. With more game time, he will be able to demonstrate more of his attacking ability and prove himself as an all-round midfielder who can step in for any of the three starters when necessary.