Newcastle United remain confident that they will be able to win the race to sign 16-year-old midfielder Rory Finneran from Blackburn.
The young Irishman has been linked with a move away from Rovers all season with several Premier League clubs eyeing a move for the prospect.
Newcastle were one of the clubs interested in the youngster who made history by becoming Blackburn's youngest-ever player to make an appearance when he came off the bench in the FA Cup third-round win over Cambridge United aged just 15 years and 312 days.
Rovers were dealt a hammer blow earlier this week when it was announced that Finneran chose not to sign a new two-year scholarship deal with the club opening the door to a move away.
Finneran wouldn't be the first youth player the Magpies have signed this summer.
It was recently announced that 16-year-old defender Aaron Epia joined the club having agreed to leave Everton in favour of a move to Tyneside.
Epia featured as a trialist in two games for Newcastle's under-18 side, impressing staff including head coach Graham Carrick who recently departed for Middlesborough.
Upon his exit, the young defender said: “I want to thank all the staff and players at Everton that have helped support my development over the last seven years,”
“I’ve had a great journey. It has been a tough decision to decide, but I feel like the time has come for me to find a new challenge.
"I want to wish the club all the best for the future.”
Alongside Epia, 14-year-old CJ Afumuzor joined the club from Portsmouth after playing at under-16 level.
18-year-old Alfie Harrison joined the club in January and has made a number of appearances for both the under-18 and under-21 sides including the U21s Northumberland Senior Cup final win against Blyth Town at St James' Park.
With Finneran set to move to Tyneside, it is also thought that 19-year-old midfielder Amario Cozier-Duberry could also join the club following his release from Arsenal.
There were reports that he was about to sign a new contract with the Gunners but talks broke down meaning the door is open for the Englishman to move to the North East.
PL | GD | PTS | ||
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1 |
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23 | 35 | 56 |
2 |
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24 | 27 | 50 |
3 |
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24 | 13 | 47 |
4 |
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24 | 16 | 43 |
5 |
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24 | 13 | 41 |
6 |
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24 | 13 | 41 |
7 |
![]() |
24 | 13 | 40 |
8 |
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24 | -3 | 37 |
9 |
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24 | 4 | 36 |
10 |
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24 | -3 | 34 |
11 |
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24 | 0 | 31 |
12 |
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24 | -2 | 30 |
13 |
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24 | -6 | 29 |
14 |
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24 | 11 | 27 |
15 |
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24 | -17 | 27 |
16 |
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23 | -5 | 26 |
17 |
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24 | -18 | 19 |
18 |
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24 | -28 | 17 |
19 |
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24 | -27 | 16 |
20 |
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24 | -36 | 9 |