World Cup winger joins Newcastle United in Germany ahead of summer transfer

The Magpies are currently in Germany training at Adidas’ global headquarters in Herzogenaurach as part of their pre-season schedule. The players present include all fit non-internationals and several youngsters.

Nineteen-year-old Kuol is among those to have been handed a call-up, just a couple of months after making his debut in the post-season visit to Australia.

Kuol was introduced as a second-half substitute and scored his penalty as Newcastle won 5-4 in the shootout. However, his first start was one to forget as a young Magpies side lost 8-0 to the A-League All Stars.

Howe’s side signed the young winger from A-League side Central Coast Mariners in January 2023 less than a month after he became the youngest player since Pele in 1958 to feature in the World Cup knockout stages.

He was immediately loaned to Scottish Premiership side Hearts before spending the 2023-24 campaign at Dutch outfit FC Volendam.Kuol, however, struggled for game time at both clubs.

In Scotland, Kuol amassed 197 minutes of league action. And in the Netherlands, he last played a competitive match in November, starting just eight of his 15 league appearances and scoring once.

While Kuol will hope to impress Howe during their five days in Germany, Howe has already made a decision on his short-term future. Speaking in May, the United boss suggested the player needed another loan spell before forging a career on Tyneside.

He said: “I think it’s always difficult to say for certain what’s going to happen with a player at this stage, there is a long way to go before the season starts. But possibly another loan spell for him will be important.

“He’s had a couple of loan spells now and I think he needs the next one to be a successful one. He needs more game time for that happen.”