Newcastle United lost Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali for a combined £175 million this summer, but the club believes Lewis Miley can step up and fill the void. The 20-year-old has already made 80 appearances for the first team since breaking through three years ago, including in the Premier League and Champions League.
Miley's potential and club's faith
Club insiders believe Miley will be worth north of £100 million in the future, and the six-year contract he signed is seen as a big win in a summer of perceived setbacks. New head coach Matthias Jaissle is said to be a big fan, just as his predecessor Eddie Howe was.
Miley's data is believed to be in the top percentile for his age, both as a midfielder and as a right-back, where he covered last season. The feeling inside St James' Park is that the England under-21 international is ready to explode this season with added responsibility.
Pundits back Miley
Former Newcastle captain Michael Owen told Chronicle Live: "I look at players such as Lewis Miley and he impressed me when he played last season and I think he has a big future. So he is one player who can benefit from players leaving, can get more game time and look to show what he can do for Newcastle. Newcastle do still have good players and with a passionate fan base, if they can unite well, they can get results for sure. They do need to invest but with some talented young players, they have quality."
Chris Waddle also told Chronicle Live via BetBrain: "I think Lewis Miley's a very good player. He's played at right back, he's played at midfield where he prefers, and he's a very talented player. Good engine, passes it well, he's got the makings of a very good player. So, maybe this is an opportunity to step in that role and say, I want that shirt. He's just signed a six-year contract, so that's how highly they rate him. So, for me, he could be the player who gets in that midfield and could really help Newcastle out a lot, playing as a centre midfield player. Is he a £50 million player? Yeah, I think in today's market, they'd be looking for £30m, £40m, up to £50m at the minute. He's still learning, but he's got the potential to go on and be a lot more than that."
Miley's fitness and upcoming matches
Miley missed the 2-1 win against Valencia, but the hope is he could play a part in at least one of the friendlies this week and be fit to face Liverpool in the Premier League opener in a fortnight.
