Newcastle United: 7 Exciting Youth Prospects

4. Sammy Ameobi

One of Newcastle€™s more famous youngsters thanks to a certain brother (hint: it€™s not Yohan Cabaye) Sammy is another player who looked on the cusp of the first team last season before a bad knee injury saw his season end prematurely. Since then he€™s grown about 4 inches (he now measures almost 6€™5€) to become a towering player among Newcastle€™s ranks and a sure-fire aerial threat. His lanky physique betrays the genuine skill he has on the ball which he combines with a good burst of pace. This allows him to be a different kind of winger to Hatem Ben Arfa and Sylvain Marveaux, who both rely on a low-centre of gravity and flashy footwork. His height not only means he€™s a threat from set-pieces (something Newcastle sorely lack) but also that he can play as a striker, something Pardew might want to take advantage of as the Senegalese duo of Ba and Cisse, for all their finishing prowess, can struggle at holding up the ball and bringing team mates into the attack. Along with well-expected Europa League minutes the local lad should get minutes in the Capital One Cup (that is, the League Cup) and even in the first team dependant on injuries and form. http://youtu.be/CDoY6JdfQGA