To change a winning team or not? That’s the dilemma facing Matthias Jaissle as Newcastle United head to Coventry City on Monday night.

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The Magpies rounded off the first stanza of the season with victory over Hull City, but did so looking down to their bare bones. With some players…

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Newcastle United have seemingly been handed a timely injury boost ahead of their return to Premier League football on Monday.

Matthias Jaissle was coy in his press conference when asked about who would return for the Coventry City away day, confirming only Joelinton and Nico Gonzalez’s availability. The head coach did say, however, that ‘three or four’ could be back in the squad, but stopped short of naming them.

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But, the club’s social media accounts went on step further than Jaissle, and showed both Amar Dedic and Will Osula back with the rest of the group.

It is not known the level to which they trained, or when they were actually back with the first-team squad this week, but it was boost to see them around, all the same.

Dedic missed the Premier League win over Hull City with a muscle issue, while Osula has not kicked a ball since limping out of the opening day draw with Liverpool with an foot problem.

Speaking about the injury situation earlier, Jaissle said: “We hope that three four players are are ready to be in the squad.

“Joe (Joelinton) you seen. Others are coming back definitely and this is helpful for sure but we need to be smart as well in the load management. They have the potential to be in the squad but for sure not in the starting 11.”

It’s back! Well, the press conference, not quite Premier League football, anyway. With Coventry just around the corner - on Monday night - here’s everything Matthias Jaissle said ahead of the encounter.

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NUFC injury update - three or four back

Return to Premier League action

Threat of Coventry 'momentum’ & Frank Lampard

Man City scandal - what does it mean to NUFC?

On NUFC not breaking Premier League rules

Joelinton position - and strengths

What to expect post-international break - improvement?

Nick Pope - what’s his situation?

Matias Fernandez-Pardo - position and strengths

NUFC formation flexibility

Five years, to the day. We rejoiced, emotions unlocked, cans everywhere, thick heads the morning after, no doubt a sickie or two. The end of purgatory. New beginnings.

But five years is a long time in life, never mind football. And now feels like a good time to ask, has the PIF-led takeover of Newcastle United delivered what was expected? Has the Saudi influx been everything we ever wanted? Were those expectations maybe too high? Or is not that black and white?

Well, I can only speak for myself here, this is my opinion piece after all. I remain conflicted. While I wouldn’t swap some of the on-field achievements and moments for the world, the lack of spades in the ground (I know, we’re nearly there) still disappoints. And given what was promised vs what has so far been ponderously delivered, I think it’s OK to sit here still with a sense of the unfulfilled and unfinished. This takeover, for me, hasn’t, been what it said on the tin - but I very much believe it still can be.

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Now, before I get any entitled or over-expectant slurs, I know what we are, what we were and our journey to get here. I lived it with you, I bear those scars. I don’t think every conversation about progress and achievement needs to be caveated with this. I’ll humour it, of course.

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There’s a lot of people making a lot of noise about Newcastle United and rebrands right now - and while I see it, I’m just not feeling it.

I’m now asking myself, am I mellowing out in my old(er) age?

All I’ve seen is people up in arms across social media, ready to wage war against the club for simply updating a design feature or two, here or there - and I’m not even talking about the club crest.

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New crest - but new NUFC, too with ground changes

I was no fan of the crest change. I didn’t want it. Would actually rather have seen wholesale change, than a dumbing down of the incumbent badge. But in the end, maybe having accepted defiance was futile, I didn’t mind the final iteration.

When it comes to the ‘Newcastle United’ or Newcaslle, as it appears, I don’t mind the nod to the old, just wish had been aligned slightly better. Although, I do reckon it’s got a jaunty design reason for why.

And now, Newcastle have moved to fill the supporter void after new St James’ Park signage - another rebrand - popped up out nowhere this week.

Social media has been up in arms about it - well, the usual suspects, anyway. I have to be honest, though, I genuinely don’t understand what people are angry about.

NUFC statement on the SJP rebrand

In a statement, the club said:

Seems perfectly reasonable to me. Change in the name of progress - and I’m all for it. Still not sure about the crest, mind.

Change isn’t always good. We still don’t even know if many of the most recent changes at Newcastle United have been a success. But they do feel good. They feel fresh. Things feel renewed, rejuvenated.

If we feel it, the players will, too. And some are showing it. Others aren’t. A season in the life of a football club, I suppose.

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NUFC change - individual vs the manager

While Eddie Howe was at the helm, he was lauded as a ‘development demon’. The man who turned water into wine. And he did at times. Joelinton was sour grapes but ended up bubbling over at Wembley like a bottle of Moet & Chandon. Dan Burn became an England international, Alexander Isak - if only briefly - an image of the best striker on the planet.

But for every success story there was a failure. And some of them are showing that now. Joe Willock, Yoane Wissa, Anthony Elanga. All three transformed under Matthias Jaissle when Howe could not get a tune. Lewis Hall’s been outstanding under both, while we’re still yet to work out what Jacob Ramsey really is.

So, how much is down the individual, the manager, the system? How much credit does Howe deserve and Jaissle, too? Is development lineal, or can it wave off course but for a good teacher? All the above themes explored in the latest offering over on Inside NUFC YouTube.

Big NUFC reveal - why the long face?

Also on the agenda in the video is the reaction to the recent NUFC full rebrand.

We’ve all seen the badges - this isn’t about that. This is the new St James’ Park rebrand - and I have to say, I’m just not sure what all the (negative social media) fuss is all about?

Sandro Tonali never wanted to be anywhere near Newcastle United, did he?

I mean, you only had to look at his face when he was being shown around the stadium and training ground after signing from AC Milan.

A face like a smacked... Aye, you know the rest.

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Well, now the player has departed for Tottenham Hotspur and got off to a rather unconvincing, far from £100million worthy, start to life in North London, his agent has been shedding some light on the deals - the one which brought his client to England, and then again become the most expensive Italian transfer ever when heading to Spurs.

Speaking on the Italian sports podcast Colpi Da Maestro, agent Beppe Riso has shone a light on how sad Tonali was to swap the San Siro for St James’ Park.

“The first move was because we had the feeling that it was a different Milan,” said Riso of Tonali’s thoughts on his boyhood club. We definitely should have seen the signs, eh?

“I know Milan inside and out, Sandro thought about it.

“He understood he wanted to join that kind of football, the Premier League. Sandro was intrigued by that choice, even though he was the captain of the Milan team that had won the Scudetto.

“It was extremely difficult for him, but he was a visionary; little by little, he got the hang of it, and then he established himself.”

Riso continued: “It was a crazy move in terms of the noise, the numbers, and the responsibilities.

“I explained things to Sandro, I made him think, and I took responsibility. It turned out to be the right choice, even from a personal perspective, even though cycles end and we decided to leave.”

On the move to Spurs, Riso said Roberto de Zerbi was key to the deal - although he does reference a rather questionable meeting. Tapping up? Nah, surely not.

“After Newcastle, Tottenham showed they’re choosing differently; they’re courageous,” said Riso.

“Tottenham was reborn after the end of the season; Tottenham survived, and De Zerbi came to the house, telling him they needed him as a leader. The relationship with De Zerbi carried a lot of weight.”

For some it’s been underwhelming. To others, it’s exceeded expectations. Newcastle United’s season is in its infancy, but that doesn’t stop us passing judgement - and that includes when it comes to the players.

After every game Inside NUFC rates the performance of each player who gets on the pitch, importantly, before the 80th minute. After 80, players get an N/A, but come on before it and you’ll get anything from a 1/10 to a 10/10 - both are, of course, the extreme rarities of the scale.

Newcastle have played seven games. Twenty two players have appeared for Matthias Jaissle in that time. Some have played all, some only a few. Only 16 qualify using our criteria. We take each player’s score from an individual game, add each game’s score up, then divide it by the number of games said player has played.

We then get a score - and that is said player’s NUFC POWER RANKING.

Who scored well and who didn’t? You’re about to find out.

NUFC POWER RANKINGS - Countdown to the top 10

N/A - Nick Woltemade, Fabian Schar & Tino Livramento (2 games), Ewan Jaouen, Aladji Bamba & Will Osula (1)

16th - Jacob Murphy - 5.25

15th - Matias Fernandez-Pardo - 5.37

14th - Baz Toure - 5.66

13th - Jacob Ramsey & Lewis Miley - 6.0

11th - Nico Gonzalez - 6.25

NUFC POWER RANKINGS - Who breaks the top 10?

10th - Malick Thiaw - 6.41

9th - Anthony Elanga - 6.7

8th - Sven Botman & Harvey Barnes - 6.71

6th - Sean Steur - 6.75

5th - Joe Willock - 6.78

4th - Lukas Hornicek - 6.83

NUFC POWER RANKINGS - The top THREE!

3rd - Yoane Wissa - 7.0

2nd - Amar Dedic - 7.16

1st - Lewis Hall - 7.57

Newcastle United have revealed the first image of their new crest with CEO David Hopkinson claiming the refined badge will become ‘iconic’ for future generations across the world.

The badge will be used immediately by the club, but, importantly, will only be placed on kits for the 2027/28 season. However, it may well be debuted on the final day of the current campaign.

More than two-thirds, around 64%, of the 27,348 fans who voted on the decision chose the above version.

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‘Culmination of more than two years of consultation’

A club statement confirming the reveal said: “Our new crest is the culmination of more than two years of comprehensive consultation, including supporter events, focus groups, workshops and surveys.

“We’ve consulted leading industry experts on the challenges presented by our existing crest and how we can evolve in line our world-class ambitions. And we’ve taken our research out to thousands of fans around the world to discuss and scrutinise it, and to listen to feedback.

“Now, after creating a shortlist of three new crest options and commissioning an independent poll completed by more than 27,000 supporters, our new crest has emerged as a clear winner with two-thirds selecting it as their first choice.

“The new crest will be used from today and will be put in place progressively across physical signage and digital and broadcast platforms over the coming months. It will be in place on our kits for the 2027/28 season, and we’ll bring supporters news very soon on exciting new retail options.”

Badge change divisive - but Hopkinson seal of approval

The process has divided the NUFC fanbase with many pushing against the move for change. Others are keen to embrace it, however, and it’s fair to say CEO Hopkinson is in that camp.

Speaking on the reveal, he said: “I have never worked anywhere that feels as proud and passionate about its crest than the way this club does, so this body of work is an enormous privilege and responsibility for all of us.

“The club has asked supporters questions that we did not know the answers to, and they told us plainly: protect what we have, keep the elements we love, and do not start again.

“Every decision after that has been made inside the margins our fans drew, and it is only right that our fans have had the final and decisive say on the outcome.

“Our crest came from the city’s own coat of arms, and it still does. It honours where we have come from, it represents who we are now, and it will become an iconic symbol for generations of supporters around the world who believe in it and unite behind it.”

Kenneth McIver, the club’s chief creative officer, said: “As a lifelong fan, our crest was the thing I covered my schoolbooks in. It’s the crest I watched my heroes playing in during the 80s and 90s, so helping to shape the future of our crest is an incredible honour.

“Our new crest has been crafted with the utmost respect for our heritage and identity, and with our vision and ambitions in mind. Every line has been drawn, redrawn, reviewed, and tested across so many formats, textures and platforms, and it delivers.

“Nothing has been changed simply because it could be. The message from fans has been consistently clear, and every element is geared towards producing a crest that will continue to connect and inspire people for many years to come.

27,348 eligible supporters completed the polling process, including men’s and women’s season ticket holders and Mags and Mags+ members. The winning version got 17,710 votes.

Sitting upright, perfectly so, rounded by more than 20 written, radio and broadcast press, Matthias Jaissle held court. And despite what some would have you believe, he looked at home.

Smart, sharp, with a good sense of humour, the Newcastle United head coach warmed to questions about his life, history and philosophy. Some of them went deep, some went to uncomfortable places. All were given careful consideration and meticulous coverage. His image and character seem perfectly aligned.

He doesn’t like the press. He doesn’t want to engage. Ask some better bloody questions! Many would have you believe Jaissle is keen to make enemies, not friends with scribes of the region, a theory built largely on his direct, often one-word responses in press conferences. But, at his request, the media many were invited in, to Benton, or The Knox as we must now say, to talk, relax, eat and drink in his company. Jaissle joked about unhealthy English breakfasts - although the bacon and sausage offerings supplied were particularly good. He’s never tried black pudding, by the way. He’s not seen much of the city yet, either, bar ‘just a few restaurants’. He offered insight into his football thinking, opened a window to his past, his journey, influences, his health struggles and what makes him the man and coach he is today.

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It was fascinating. Illuminating. And really very warm. The cold exterior has thawed somewhat from those early, frantic days in La Manga then Tyneside, where a need to maximise every second of work left no room for small talk.

That was then, this is now. Twenty allotted minutes, became 25. Five more, he asked. It seemed like Jaissle actually quite liked the talky bit. He drew boundaries, explained the theory behind some of his public statements. He had questions for the press. This was as much a fact-finding mission for him as it was the pack. He swerved no query, gave as many as he could a crack at his time. Then, to training. The bit that really matters. We saw some of it, the bits we’re allowed to. All managers are the same, protective over their craft. I suppose. you never know where spies hide.

Imprinting Jaissleball on NUFC - patience needed

We’re yet to properly see the fruits of Jaissle’s labour at Newcastle United. Having listened to him, I think that’s an understatement. Time was always against him. As much as Eddie Howe falling on his sword was admirable - he had lost the belief it required to guide good ship 2.0 - it came too late. That delay, it should have happened before the last home game of last season, meant Jaissle and his coaches were up against it. Newcastle appointed a coach to fit their DNA - that’s a proper thing now under Ross Wilson and David Hopkinson - but not all coaches are the same. Not all coaches sign off on the same type of players. A lot of the dancing was done before Jaissle’s influence could be felt. Next summer will have a slightly altered recruitment feel, you’d imagine. The same framework, yes, but maybe more star quality, a bit more MJ.

“The pre-season was so short, and then it was really packed with a lot of friendly matches back then that we couldn’t change. So it was tough. It’s really tough, tougher than expected, to get the stuff and the principles implemented into the player’s head. But considering all these things, we’re doing good,” he said of what he’s witnessed so far, even if he hints a hell of a lot more needs to come.

“I think there were elements in games where we saw a lot of the things we were looking for. There were also phases in games where we were not happy and satisfied. So there’s a lot of still a lot of potential that we can improve.

“But considering the circumstances, and we need to remind ourselves always, as well in the coaching stuff, because we have these high demands that we are not long here now, and we don’t have too much training time.”

Following the Leeds defeat, one Jaissle admits brought tough conversations and some challenging emotions, talk crept in of Red Bull - Salzburg, where Jaissle originated, and Leipzig - across social media and whether that school of thought can work in a Premier League setting. It was all very premature, but let’s humour it for the flow of this work. Leeds saw it, they survived it. Just a German Jesse Marsch was the cry. All very extreme. More work, unconvincingly completed since Elland Road, the question remains whether RB can actually be NUFC.

Doubt all you like, Jaissle doesn’t.

“The style will work anywhere,” he said. “They questioned it in Saudi Arabia - can you play that style when it is 40 degrees outside? Can you play it when players are maybe not at the physical level that you have had before? We showed it is possible.

“Look at Barcelona now, and the way they are flying. I would not say that Hansi Flick is from the Red Bull dynasty, but there are a lot of elements in the way he works that can see are from there. The players there might have been more used to playing in a tiki-taka style, but they have adapted and you can see it is working. I was listening to Rodri, and he was saying a lot about the physicality and the way they train now. It shows that it can be done in every league, in my eyes.”

Jaissle’s journey - health, (un)happiness, rebirth with Rangnick

If you think Jaissle’s struggle to add style to create Newcastle United substance is tough, you know little about his journey. This is meat and drink to the quiet village boy who enjoyed the terraces at Stuttgart.

The injury that robbed him of the game he loved at 25 in 2014 is well-documented. But perhaps the struggles that preceded it, even years beforehand as a child, have helped shape the man he has become.

“I had a tumour, when I was five-years-old, in the neck I couldn’t move my neck side to side and I learned a lot,” said Jaissle. “I was only five years old but I learned a lot about life already. How important it is to be healthy and how grateful you can be to be to follow your dream. It was not clear I would be able to play football at that age.

“That was one part. Unfortunately, I was really unlucky with injuries. When I was in the youth team I missed a year, not being able to play a match. I was 16 but I think that gave me the discipline in life to really fight. At that age, you are usually going out, partying, you could quit in that period but I carried on.

“When my made my debut in the first team, after seven eight months of playing regularly for Hoffenheim I ruptured my ACL, my meniscus, the cartilage, everything. I was done. I knew then it could be difficult to carry on playing at the highest level. I was 20…

“It was tough. I had just become a Germany Under-21 international player and I was about to be called into the national team for the first time. That was the next step. We would have played in the under-21s Euros that summer and I ruptured my ACL in the March. It was a tough moment. I was really down back then. I listened to the stories saying I could be back in four months and I fully believed. After four months I was still in a wheelchair.”

He fought at five. Did so again at 16. Fight became his only option from 20 onwards. He admits he fought too long.

“I kept fighting a lot and I kept the dream for longer than the doctors kept it! They gave me early hints that it would be better, maybe, to study or do something else.

“But at least now I can always wake up in the morning and say I did everything, even longer than they recommended. That helped me to overcome that, hopefully at one point I have kids and I can tell them.”

The next step? Coaching surely? Well, not quite. But when the switch was made, one man’s name shines right through Jaissle’s appraisal of his rise. Ralf Rangnick.

“I actually had a period where I was not knowing what to do! I was also struggling for a couple of months, really down, tough to get motivated, tough to get your own rhythm again,” said the 38-year-old.

“For me, in the beginning, it was clear I wanted to have something with football again, not necessarily being a coach. It could have been sports director, athlete manager, agent, whatever. I started studying different things: sports management, athlete management, football management. I was quite busy. It was through an online university where you go to take the tests and exams in Düsseldorf, but the rest was online, so I was quite flexible.

“Then I got the chance through Ralf Rangnick - therefore sometimes I mention him as a mentor. I got the chance to do a trainee program in Leipzig. I started as an assistant coach for Sebastian Hoeneß, the current coach of Stuttgart. We played together in Hoffenheim. After two weeks I felt, ‘Wow, I have joy back in life, not only studying and reading. I have a new purpose’.”

The RB school, licences, then on to Brøndby as assistant. Salzburg youth, their feeder Liefering, then first-team Salzburg. Al Ahli and Saudi riches followed.

Jaissle said: “It was quite fast actually, in retrospect it feels like a dream, all the steps. I would say fast, but also smart. I started in the youth for two years, then assistant coach in the first team abroad, first time coaching in English, doing a lot of things on the pitch. I got a lot of responsibility as a young assistant coach without experience. I took a step back to the under 18s, and for me it was about trying new things without getting punished. For me it is good to start in the youth in my eyes because you can get your identity and philosophy down on paper. Liefering is the farming team for Salzburg and that was also a good experience, before I moved on to the first team at Salzburg.”

Jaissle ‘no surprises’ in Premier League - bar SJP

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That brings Jaissle back full circle. The here and now. Youth, Sweden and provincial Austria are no match for the Premier League. Even the SPL with it’s habit of making often average into generational wealth - but with the odd bit star dust, too - does not quite hold up to the cut and thrust of the world’s most competitive domestic competition. Has it come as a surprise to Jaissle? Well, England boss and friend Thomas Tuchel did not warn him, either way.

“He did not need to warn me, I already knew. There was nothing that surprised me. I expected that level and that quality. I expected that small margins would determine games. Everything that I expected came true,” he said.

“They also told me about the atmosphere at St James’ Park but that exceeded my expectations. You have to be there to feel it. If you are part of the game, you see it and you hear it.”

There’s little doubt the fans are with Jaissle. And listening to him speak, I think he feels that love.

So far, Newcastle United have been no assault on the senses. Feeling love is one thing, hearing support another. Now NUFC fans need to see it. Progress. More green shoots. More goals at one end, less at the other. The taste of success will surely follow. And make no mistake about it, Jaissle demands it, too.

Newcastle United are back - and so too is their experienced midfield duo of Joelinton and Nico Gonzalez.

But Fabian Schar was absent, so too a whole host of players the Magpies will hope to have back post-international break.

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The Magpies opened their doors to the North East press pack this week, allowing special access to training and a breakfast meeting with head coach Matthias Jaissle.

But what did we learn about the team, Jaissle and more? Check out our ‘behind the scenes’ video, featuring special shots of training, over on the YT channel.

Vice-captain Joelinton and £50million midfielder Nico Gonzalez are back in Newcastle United training.

The Magpies’ squad returned to The Knox for the first time this international break on Tuesday, after Matthias Jaissle allowed his players some leave while others are away with their country.

The return coincided with a media open day for the North East press - with Inside NUFC invited along to speak with Jaissle and watch the United lads back on the training pitches.

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Who is missing for NUFC - internationals & injuries?

While Joelinton (muscular) and Gonzalez (concussion) were back, looking fully up to speed with the rest of the reduced training group, there were some rather notable absentees.

To watch Joelinton back on the training pitches of The Knox, click this link.

Fabian Schar, not listed or stated as injured anywhere, was missing from the group, which included a host of youngsters. Matheos Ferreira, Miodrag Pivas, Dylan Charlton, Mason Miley and Henry Johnson were all spotted with the first-team.

Skipper Dan Burn did not train, but is still expected to be back when the Magpies take on Coventry City in just under a fortnight. Jacob Ramsey, Anthony Elanga, Amar Dedic, Tino Livramento and Will Osula were also missing.

Internationals, such as Lewis Hall, Lukas Hornicek, Matias Fernandez-Pardo, Lewis Miley, Sean Steur and Malick Thiaw, will not be back for another week to 10 days.

Newcastle United travel to Coventry City on Monday, October 12, kick-off 8pm.

Newcastle United have got a decision to make - to stick or twist with Joe Willock.

Over on the Inside NUFC YouTube channel we look into the contract call the Magpies must make with Willock - and why that might have to be sooner rather than later, with Besiktas lurking ahead of the January transfer window.

Should United offer a new deal? Would Willock sign it? Or should they look to let the former Arsenal man leave? Every angle under the microscope.

The boy is special. I’m not going to have anyone tell me otherwise. But I am, however, starting to have my doubts about Lewis Miley.

Now, I haven’t lost my head here. This isn’t some schizophrenic take, as much as the first statement of this piece suggests it. I love him, but niggling doubts have started to creep into my thinking about the player and his Newcastle United future. Here’s why…

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Twenty two players. Seven games. One Inside NUFC average rating per player.

This is our very own Newcastle United POWER RANKINGS - and it certainly makes for interesting reading.

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Who has impressed and who has flopped? We take a deep dive into every player’s performance so far over on our Inside NUFC YouTube channel.

One player who squeezes into the top three is a real shock, having flipped his NUFC narrative, while a couple of summer signings - high profile ones - miss out on the top 10 altogether.

Lewis Hall has got nowt to prove, not to us anyway. Anyone who watches Newcastle United knows he’s one of the best in the business.

But tell that to Thomas Tuchel. Hall was shockingly omitted from the World Cup squad in the summer, with right-footed left-backs favoured. All that came after a season in which he excelled, even when Newcastle struggled. At times he was the beacon of light - who could forget that Lamine Yamal performance. It was one for ages.

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However, Tino Livramento was preferred, after a patchy campaign and relegation-contender Djed Spence got in. None of it made any sense, even if Spence was one of the better performers on the way to a crushing semi-final loss.

Watching the Argentina embarrassment, it was not hard to see that Hall would have been invaluable, helping to close that cavernous gap on the left that allowed Lionel Messi to dictate and deflate.

“I was gutted, to be honest,” Hall said on missing out on a spot.

“In football, you never take anything for granted. But yes, I wasn’t necessarily expecting it, if I’m being completely honest. Obviously, everyone has their own opinions, like I mentioned before.

‘You’ve got to respect that’

“You’ve got to respect that. But at the same time, as soon as the first couple of weeks were done, when I realised I wasn’t really there, I just had to think to myself, ‘If I wasn’t a footballer, what would I be doing?’

“And that’s supporting England. I was just with my mates, watching the game together and being a fan. Honestly, we had so many players at the World Cup, so I was obviously all supporting them.

“With Anthony (Gordon) being there, Elliot (Anderson), Dan Burn, when they came on, I was obviously buzzing for them all. I just wanted them all to do so well. When I was watching them and they were all playing really well, it obviously made me proud as well. I was looking at it that way.”

Hall has point to prove

Hall is back now, though. Back in favour, back as an option. Four games, four opportunities for cap no.5. The first tonight v Spain.

Does he feel like he’s got a point to prove?

“A little bit,” he said. “I think you play enough games in a season anyway, where they can see how you play, what you’re good at, what you can improve on, and see how you fit into the squad.

“It’s always nice to go there and create a good impression. So, yes, I’ll be looking to do that.”

It didn’t take long for Newcastle United fans to realise they needed to strap in for the rise of Sean Steur.

And those early judgements have been underlined by Netherlands’ under-21 boss, Michael Reiziger.

Speaking before the Dutch youngsters took on Norway under-21s, Reiziger spoke on the player’s development at Newcastle United, in the Premier League and why he thinks the player is a real rarity.

“Sean is a player you don’t see very often,” he said.

“He reads the game, has drive, is calm on the ball, and can really take control of the game. I saw that last year at Ajax as well, that he already wanted to position players, because he knows that if you stand there, I will become free in another spot. You can already see him orchestrating that and I find that very beautiful to see.”

Reiziger, speaking to the Dutch media, continued: “Sean joined Ajax’s first team last year and did well there but it was often alternating between playing one game and sitting on the bench. Sean continues to develop at Newcastle United which is great to see.

“He is simply a good footballer. And the minutes he can get there, he just needs to extend them - that will make him even stronger. But the fact that he is already playing so much at the highest level in the best league in the world, at a club that is highly regarded there too, that is very impressive for his age.”

Lewis Hall has addressed his Newcastle United future. In an open, frank and honest assessment England’s best left-back made it clear that he wants to stay at St James’ Park. And he want’s to stay long-term, too. But, and here’s the catch, that want to remain is conditional.

In order for him to remain, the club must match his ambitions. Yes, I know, we’ve all been here before.

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Should we be concerned about his latest talk or should we relax given he’s just penned a new five-year deal? Is this not just what you expect from top pros, even if they come from Newcastle-daft stock? We took a look over every word of his recent interview on Inside NUFC YouTube.

And it’s fair to say - we think it’s time for NUFC 2.0 to ensure it does not make the same mistakes as 1.0.

Mini Frenkie de Jong. Baby Bruno. When it comes to Sean Steur, Newcastle United’s newest midfield maestro, the superlatives and comparisons flow.

Fans are already torn on the 18-year-old Ajax recruit. It’s not because they don’t rate him - you’d have to be daft not to - it’s mostly because they’ve only just fallen in love with him, and can already plot his route to the top of the game.

You can tell he’s proper Ajax. Right from the Johan Cruyff playbook. Smooth, silky, smart, sees absolutely everything. His body shape and movement is divine, the angles, the twists, the progressive thinking. Tempo defining capability, calm and press resistant. Can we maybe hide him away somewhere so Barcelona - who already admire with a watchful eye - don’t come knocking?

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Can the problem for Newcastle United, also be a solution? That’s the dilemma facing head coach Matthias Jaissle right now.

This summer Jaissle added the second most expensive right back in the world - in the last window - to his ranks in Amar Dedic, and had England international Tino Livramento on the books. The last thing you’d think he needs right now is another right-back, right?

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But in Lewis Miley, the Magpies might well have one just as good as the two just mentioned.

It’s not a disaster of a problem for Jaissle, but it’s certainly one worth considering, especially with Miley’s best performances in black and white coming from the right. It’s a conundrum discussed on Inside NUFC YouTube.