Newcastle United close to finalising transfer - could make debut this weekend

Newcastle United are close to finalising Garang Kuol’s six-month loan move to Scottish Premiership side Hearts.

The teenage forward agreed to join the Jam Tarts earlier this week after he visited Edinburgh to hold face-to-face talks and be shown around their training facilities last Thursday.

A number of clubs have shown interest in Kuol, who played for Australia against both France and Argentina at the Qatar World Cup.

Hearts, who have already three Aussies on their books, have won the race, and manager Robbie Neilson is hopeful Kuol’s arrival can be formalised before Friday’s league clash against St Mirren.

Neilson said: “We’re just on the paperwork at the moment to try and get it done. I’ve no idea if it will be done by Friday. It would be great if we could but we’ll just need to wait and see.”

Eddie Howe said last week Newcastle were looking to find the “right home” for Kuol following his switch from A-League side Central Coast Mariners.

The 18-year-old joins with huge potential on the back of a breakthrough year in 2022.

Kuol scored six times and provided four assists in 17 appearances for the Mariners, as well as becoming the youngest player to feature in the World Cup knockout stages since Pele in 1958.

“Players go on loan for lots of different reasons andt his would be to gain experience, to learn a lot about British football,” Howe said.

“We really like him and we want him to find a home where coaches will develop him and improve him, he’s still young so naturally he’s got areas of his game that need work.

“But that experience, hopefully, will benefit for us and the long-term.”