20 English Players Newcastle Should Sign This Summer

17. Will Hughes

Age: 20 Position: Midfielder Current Club: Derby County (2011-) Previous Clubs: None Estimated Market Value: £10 million League Appearances (Goals) 2014-15: 42 (2) England Under-21 Caps (Goals): 14 (2)

Will Hughes is a player who Newcastle have been linked to for several years now - and yet he still remains just 20 years of age. Graham Carr has tracked Hughes' development ever since he broke into the Derby first team back in 2011 but the Magpies have never acted upon their fondness for the player due to the £10 million-plus price tag slapped on him by the Rams. However, with Steve McClaren having built his Derby side around the technically-gifted midfielder, the apparently soon-to-be Toon chief could convince Lee Charnley to splash the cash on a player who has accrued 14 England Under-21 caps. Hughes may only be 20 but he has four seasons' worth of Championship experience to call upon now and Newcastle may feel it is time he took the opportunity to step it up a level. If the Magpies are serious about sticking to their model of homegrown talent going forward, then Hughes could be placed into central-midfield alongside Jack Colback - giving Newcastle two genuine ballplayers in the middle.