Newcastle United have completed the signing of Luton Town teenager Sam Pinnington.

After seven years with the Hatters, the 14-year-old talent has become the FOURTH new recruit to join our U16 ranks ahead of the 2023/24 season, joining Sam Alabi (Oldham), Kacey Wooster (Southend) and Michael Mills (Port Vale) on Tyneside.

All four have been pictured holding up the black and white shirt at St James’ Park and Pinnington won’t be the last. A deal to sign Wolves full-back Leo Shahar is close to completion, while moves for fellow England U16 internationals Trevan Sanusi (Birmingham) and Divine Mukasa (West Ham) are also in the offing.

At U21 level, a move for 18-year-old AC Milan centre-back Cathal Heffernan is now ‘done’, with Inter Milan winger Kevin Zefi (18) expected to follow him to St James’ Park.

It’s refreshing to see the club invest in the academy; a previously neglected part of Newcastle United that Dan Ashworth now oversees.

After the academy’s scouting department was overhauled earlier this year, where 13 new member of staff arrived, we are now seeing a flurry of fresh faces at U16, U18 and U21 level, with Ashworth intent on attracting some of the best young talent to Tyneside.