Which English football club, including Newcastle United, has the best academy is one of the most captivating debates. In recent years, Newcastle has produced some outstanding players. Most notably, young Lewis Miley made his debut for the Magpies in the starting lineup last season and has since established himself as a key member of the squad.
Arsenal and Manchester United are two of the favorites to win this specific title. Over the years, the Red Devils have produced several renowned players, including the Class of ’92 and the Busby Babes. These days, Carrington is represented by players like Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, and Kobbie Mainoo.
Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe are two examples of Arsenal’s renowned Hale End academy players, and Reiss Nelson was also a member of the Gunners’ squad the previous season.
Another team with a well-known academy in England is Chelsea. Cobham has also produced several legendary players; Tammy Abraham and Mason Mount, two of their academy alumni, were on the 2021 Champions League winning team.
One of the players from that renowned Chelsea team has been connected to Newcastle recently, and they may try to sign him to bolster their roster in preparation for the upcoming campaign now that the transfer window has opened.
Newcastle target Serie A defender
This player, Fikayo Tomori, is a graduate of the Cobham Academy and currently plays for AC Milan, one of the biggest teams in Italy. The England international could now rejoin Newcastle to return to the Premier League after leaving Chelsea for Milan in 2021.
It is unclear at this point whether a deal will be reached between the two parties, but a report from The Guardian claims that ‘communication has been made with Milan’ over a possible deal to bring Tomori to St James’ Park this summer.
According to the source, Milan is considering selling the English center back only if they receive a bid of at least £40 million. They clarify that while Newcastle is undoubtedly interested, it is currently “unclear whether a compromise can be reached.”
Milan is undoubtedly eager to reach the £40 million mark in order to secure a profit on any possible trade for Tomori. After a loan period, they paid Chelsea £25 million to obtain his services three years prior, so if they were to make £40 million or more on the player, they would benefit handsomely.
How Tomori would fit in at Newcastle
Despite missing a significant portion of the season because of a hamstring injury, Tomori scored four goals and appeared in 26 Serie A games for Milan last season. According to Sofascore, he also contributed to keeping an amazing seven clean sheets out of Milan’s 13 during that period.
| Most Serie A clean sheets 2023/24 | |
|---|---|
| Number of clean sheets | Club |
| 21 | Inter |
| 18 | Torino |
| 17 | Juventus, Bologna |
| 15 | Atalanta |
| 13 | Milan, Lazio |
| Stats from Sofascore | |
In December 2023, football journalist Matteo Bonetti praised Tomori for “commanding the back line” for the Rossoneri and called him “masterful,” a description that is undoubtedly supported by his statistics.
Tomori’s ability to carry the ball is one aspect of his game that really sticks out. Based on statistics, the 26-year-old was among the top 16 ball-carrying defenders in Serie A last season, averaging 1.50 progressive carries per ninety minutes, according to FBref. In the latter third of carries, the defender averaged 3.00, excellent stats that put him in the top 1% of Serie A defenders.
In addition, at six feet, the defender, who was born in Canada, is extremely intimidating in the air. Tomori had a 75% win rate last season on average, winning three aerial duels for every ninety minutes.
Tomori may make a good combination with Sven Botman, Eddie Howe’s first-choice defender. The Dutchman will not be able to play again until October 2024 after missing two seasons due to an anterior cruciate ligament injury. However, after Tomori recovers from his injury, the 24-year-old and the player might form a strong connection.
First of all, because Tomori is right-footed and Botman is left-footed, the two would make a great team. According to Sofascore, the Dutchman is quite calm when he has the ball. He completes 54.1 passes with an accuracy rate of 91% each game. Newcastle’s back four would be significantly improved by having two defenders with distinct strengths and a high level of composure when handling the ball.
His long stride makes him an excellent recovery defender who can cover territory fast. Botman recovers balls 4.1 times on average and clears 3.1 times on average each game. He is also a master in the air; during the previous season, he won two aerial duels on average each game.
Tomori would undoubtedly be a valuable addition to the St. James’ Park team. £40 million is not too much in the current market, and he would improve Newcastle’s defense greatly.
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