Published Oct 3, 2026, 8:10 AM GMT+1

The likes of Chris Waddle, Andy Carroll and Shola Ameobi all came through such a route before making themselves key members of the first-team setup.

In Carroll’s case, the Magpies managed to make a huge profit, subsequently selling him to Liverpool in February 2011 after starring over a sustained period at St James’ Park.

However, it’s safe to say the hierarchy haven’t maximised their cash flow with all of their academy products - as seen with one player over the last couple of years.

Why selling Anderson is Newcastle’s biggest modern-day failure

After the heavy spending under the Saudi PIF, Newcastle were forced to sell key academy products in the summer of 2024 - leading to midfielder Elliot Anderson joining Nottingham Forest for a net £15m.

The 23-year-old left his boyhood club and had an opportunity to take his career to the next level in the East Midlands, and it’s safe to say he grabbed the chance with both hands.

He made 92 appearances across two seasons at the City Ground, with such a period allowing him to become a regular within Thomas Tuchel’s England setup.

Anderson has since earned an eye-watering £116m move to join English giants Manchester City, which has handed him the platform to once again take his career up a notch.

Despite his success in recent years, Newcastle fans have had to sit and watch his rise with a touch of jealousy given the controversial circumstances surrounding his departure.

With the likes of Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes departing during the recent window, it’s safe to say he would have had the opportunity to star on a regular basis for his boyhood club in 2026/27.

However, the youngster will always remain a case of what could have been on Tyneside, with their loss ultimately the gain of Nottingham Forest and Manchester City.

How Newcastle have discovered next Elliot Anderson

In an effort to soften the blow of the aforementioned departures in the midfield department, the Newcastle hierarchy splashed out a pretty penny during the recent summer window.

The likes of Aladji Bamba, Sean Steur and Nico Gonzalez all arrived for a combined total of just over £100m, with the hope the trio can star on Tyneside for the foreseeable future.

Given the average age of the trio is just 20 years and six months, it’s clear that the board have placed a real focus on investing in youth for the future years.

However, if they are going down such a route, it’s likely that academy star Lewis Miley will also play a huge role in the club’s attempts to secure silverware in the near future.

The 20-year-old has spent the majority of his childhood years within the youth ranks, before making the jump into the senior outfit at the tender age of just 17.

He’s a player who has struggled with injuries over recent months, but there’s no denying that when he’s fit, he’s a player capable of being a regular starter for the Magpies.

Since Matthias Jaissle’s arrival this summer, Miley has featured in all five league outings, whilst even being handed the responsibility of wearing the captain’s armband.

His versatile nature has seen him operate in a right-back role in various matches this term, but his long-term future should be at the heart of the Magpies’ midfield.

Miley’s stats from the current campaign demonstrate his ability to star at the heart of the side and potentially follow in the footsteps of Anderson.

He’s completed 75% of the dribbles he’s attempted so far this campaign, subsequently demonstrating his ability to progress the play from deep-lying positions.

Even out of possession, the youngster has managed to impress, as seen by his impressive tally of 5.9 ball recoveries per 90 - placing him in the top 20% of players in England’s top-flight.

Such numbers are simply remarkable given his tender age, and it’s vital that the manager hands him an opportunity to continue his progression in a more familiar role.

Should Jaissle hand him the chance to impress, there’s no reason why he can’t be the next success story on Tyneside and become a £100m talent down the line.