Newcastle United weigh up next steps for World Cup forward who scored twice at St James' Park
Garang Kuol is enjoying his best period at Newcastle United since joining from Central Coast Mariners in 2023.
Garang Kuol was the star of the show as Newcastle United under-21s secured a Premier League 2 play-off place with a 7-1 victory over Reading on Monday night.
As Eddie Howe’s first-team made light work of Leicester City - winning 3-0 at the King Power Stadium - the under-21s also enjoyed a straightforward evening under the lights at St James’ Park.
Kuol opened the scoring after just 12 minutes with a stunning right-footed strike before claiming another to make it 6-1. The winger also set up goals for Leo Shahar and Joe Brayson, while Alfie Harrison, Jay Turner-Cooke and Johnny Emerson were also on the scoresheet.
Garang Kuol shining for Newcastle United’s under-21s
When Kuol left Australia to join Newcastle from Central Coast Mariners two years ago, he departed as one of the country’s most exciting young prospects after catching the eye at the World Cup in Qatar. However, his move to European soil has brought its challenges.
The 20-year-old has had loan spells at Scottish Premiership side Hearts and FC Volendam in the Netherlands, but neither were successful. The Magpies lined up another loan move for Kuol last summer but a thigh issue put the blocks on.
Reflecting on his time at Newcastle, Kuol said earlier this year: “Obviously, when I first came [I was] on loan, straight to Hearts. Again, it was a period full of learning, and people would say it was a bad spell for me, but I think I was able to learn from it, and take a lot of things out of it.
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“Then I went on to the Netherlands again on loan, for the season-long loan. I feel like it was very good for me as well, especially the first half of the season when I was playing consistently and training consistently under the coaches that brought me in. It was very good for me.
“And obviously pre-season here with the first team was very good for me. I saw the level that the first team people were at, and just to see it live in the flesh, the work rate and where I got to get to, it was good for me, which brings me to here.
“I enjoy the somewhat quiet cityand going to the games [at St James’ Park] as well is very enjoyable, seeing the team play. Just going to training every day, I'm very happy.”
Next steps for Garang Kuol - uncertain future
Interest in Kuol re-emerged in January but Newcastle opted to keep hold of the player, and it is a decision that looks to have paid off massively. The winger has remained injury free and is playing with a huge amount of confidence, scoring eight goals in 12 appearances for the under-21s this season.
With Sean Neave and Leo Shahar earning call-ups to Howe’s first-team squad in recent weeks, Kuol might also be in with a chance. Either way, he has a Premier League 2 play-off campaign to focus on. That’s the short-term.
In the long-term, Kuol’s future remains slightly unclear as he is understood be out of contract next summer. If he is to succeed at Newcastle then another loan spell feels like the appropriate next step.