11 Players Newcastle Fans Wrongly Thought Were The Future

6. Fabio Zamblera

Another of Dennis Wise and Tony Jimenez's foreign prospects and signed from Atalanta with big expectations, the Italian striker was probably the most exciting of all of Newcastle's prospects signed under Ashley's abandoned attempt to mimic Arsenal's recruitment model. On his signing Italian U-19 assistant manager Giancarlo Antognoni heralded the signing as a good one for Newcastle's future: "He is one of our best players and can be a star for Newcastle," which in itself was enough to get excited about. That team included Andrea Poli and Giacomo Bonaventura now at Milan, new Juve 'keeper Vincenzo Fiorillo and Sampdoria's Stefano Okaka, so it wasn't short on talent, so to hear Zamblera was one of the most highly-rated was music to our ears. Unfortunately, someone was clearly telling porkies, and Zamblera proved exactly why not many Italians leave their native country as youngsters, failing to settle, and failing to really make a mark before leaving by mutual consent (probably mostly Newcastle's "consent," in honesty).