Newcastle United summer transfer window and can you win anything with kids?

We are now a month into the Newcastle United summer transfer window and a clear pattern is emerging.

The average age of the NUFC squad, and almost certainly the starting eleven as well, seeing a significant age reduction.

Leaving Newcastle United, players in their 30s such as Trippier, Krafth, Ruddy, Targett and Vlachodimos (on loan). Whilst others to leave are Gordon (25), Tonali (26) and Ramsdale (28).

This then contrasts with the three United signings so far, as 18-year-old Sean Steur comes in plus 20-year-olds Ewen Jaouen and Bazoumana Toure (pictured above).

With Switzerland having been knocked out of the World Cup now, Johan Manzambi is now expected to finalise his move to Newcastle United with a transfer fee and personal terms already agreed, he’s another 20-year-old.

It was Alan Hansen who famously declared “You can’t win anything with kids”, so will that be the case for Newcastle United and the path they are clearly going down?

The reason why Hansen’s comment became so notorious was because he said this back in August 1995 Manchester United losing 3-1 to Aston Villa and the Match of the Day pundit criticising Fergie’s strategy.

When that 1995/96 season kicked off, Ryan Giggs was aged 21, Nicky Butt 20, Gary Neville 20, Paul Scholes 20, Phil Neville 18, David Beckham 20.

Those six players started 154 Premier League matches between them that 1995/96 and ended up winning the title ahead of a club that I can’t quite remember…

Man U won the Premier League and FA Cup double that (1995/96) season with a team whose average age was 26 years and 137 days (including only players who played 10 games or more).

Chelsea later won the Premier League in 2004/05 with a team had an average age of 25 years and 312 days.

The truth is of course that Manchester United were successful in 1995/96 (and Chelsea the same nine years later) because they had a really good team/squad of players of various ages. The Man U kids contributed a lot but it was Peter Schmeichel and Eric Cantona who were their two best players that season.

The best ever group of young players Newcastle United have ever had around the same time was in the early 1990s.

Lee Clark, Robbie Elliott, Steve Watson, Matty Appleby, Steve Howey, David Roche, Lee Makel and Alan Neilson all around at the same time.

In 1991/92 an impoverished Newcastle United had a desperate financial situation and all of these players listed above were part of the ‘Ossie’s kids’ season that almost saw United relegated to the third tier.

Issue 26 – April 1991

Only the arrival of Kevin Keegan saw Newcastle climb to survival and avoid disaster. The likes of Howey, Clark, Watson and Elliott all progressed under Kevin Keegan and were still at the club when part of that so close season of 1995/96.

It is not impossible that the Newcastle United team could line up as follows (current ages detailed) next season…

20 Ewen Jaouen
23 Tino Livramento
24 Malick Thiaw
26 Sven Botman
21 Lewis Hall
20 Lewis Miley
18 Sean Steur
20 Johan Manzambi
20 Bazoumana Toure
24 Anthony Elanga
22 Will Osula

That Newcastle United team having an average age of around 23, with seven of them aged 21 and under currently.

I can’t see that ending up as Newcastle United’s first choice eleven when the season kicks off, for various reasons.

Sean Steur will surely be given time to adapt and develop before too much is asked of him, whilst I am not convinced Bruno Guimaraes (28) will end up leaving. Hopefully!!!

I also think the likes of Barnes (28) and Ramsey (25) are very likely to be first choice when the season starts in six weeks’ time. Eddie Howe finally signing James Trafford (23) as the new first choice keeper is my belief as well. The future of Nick Pope (34) up in the air until we see what develops in this transfer window.

World Cup stars Dan Burn (34) and Yoane Wissa (29) set to be playing in plenty of matches as well I assume, the same with Joelinton (29), Fabian Schar (34) and Nick Woltemade (24). Claims of Jacob Murphy (31) potentially going to Everton.

So plenty of other players in the Newcastle United squad of an age to potentially combine with the younger players/signings to bring possible success.

We also have others such as Sean Neave and Leo Shahar who have both now turned 19 in 2026 and have big futures ahead of them, in my opinion. Interesting to see if they go out on loan or are kept at NUFC to become part of the first team squad for the upcoming season.

Meanwhile, even if/when Johan Manzambi arrives, it definitely won’t be the end of incoming signings. Intriguing to see whether the under 21 theme continues or whether we might get two or three more signings in who are maybe around the 22, 23 or 24-years-old mark.

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