February signing debut as Newcastle United young stars score for fun again

3 weeks ago 11

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The young Newcastle United stars were in action again this weekend.

Saturday’s match played at a Little Benton bathed in sunshine, as the NUFC Under 18 side clashed with Stoke City.

Baran Yildiz his Newcastle United debut after signing for an undisclosed fee from Genclerbirligi in February (see below).

Although it had been reported that the Turkish club are expected to bank £2.5m in total, if Baran Yildiz lives up to expectations.

The 18 year old coming on as a second half sub late on Saturday.

However, by that point the match was already won, with other young talent brought in from further afield, playing key roles.

Exciting young striker Kacey Wooster was taken off Southend as a kid in July 2023, he scored a 25th minute penalty to set Newcastle on their way.

That penalty won by Kyle Fitzgerald, who arrived for an undisclosed transfer fee in January from Galway United after turning 18. Fitzgerald then scoring the second and third goals to win the game.

After the arrival of Baran Yildiz onto the pitch, Matthew Taylor making it 4-1 in added time.

Clear signs of promise and progress as Newcastle United now are committed to invest in the potential stars of the future.

The last three matches have seen the NUFC Under 18s win all three and score 11 goals, Wooster with five of those 11 goals and Fitzgerald with three. Recently turned 16 exciting attacking player Michael Mills, scored one of the goals when Newcastle Under 18s beat Liverpool 3-1 (United beating Wolves 4-2 in between that Liverpool match and this Stoke one). However, Mills (picked up at a very young age from Port Vale), is one of the three NUFC 18s who has been away with the England Under 16s in Spain this past week.

Final score:

Newcastle United Under 18s 4 Stoke Under 18s 1

That result leaves the Under 18s (North) table looking like this:

Newcastle United Under 18s:

Anderson, Bloomer, Durrant, Johnson, Epia (Craggs 65), Cogdon, Fitzgerald, Harper, Wooster (Yildiz 86), O’Donovan (Taylor 65), Ferreira (Waddani 80)

Newcastle United now continually bringing in young players from the UK and overseas, to try and get ahead of the curve, as numerous other Premier League clubs (and those on the continent have been doing for years and years). Making major investment in so many young players, in the hope and expectation that some of them will progress and make it to the Newcastle United first team squad.

The Newcastle United Under 18s had previously been amongst the bottom two or three season after season under Mike Ashley.

Now clear signs of improvement.

Now sixth in the table and the last eight league matches have seen the Under 18s win six and lose only one, whilst scoring 22 goals.

The Genclerbirligi General Manager, Ali Ekber Duzgun, telling Turkish media at the start of February:

“Baran Yildiz’s transfer to Newcastle United has been completed.

“Official signatures have been made.

“The transfer of one of our players to a Premier League team is an important success for both Gençlerbirligi and our player.

“I hope he successfully represents Gençlerbirligi abroad like Arda Guler.

“We wish him success in his career.”

It is reported that Genclerbirligi will eventually bank up to £2.5m for the 18 year old from Newcastle United.

Arda Guler also started his career at Genclerbirligi, before moving on to Fenerbahce and then Real Madrid in 2023.

The official Genclerbirligi Twitter/X account giving this farewell message; “Good luck in your new adventure Baran…”