Newcastle’s own Lamine Yamal.

Newcastle can expect academy stars to emulate the likes of Elliot Anderson and Lewis Miley in wedging their way into the Toon first team, but they need the first-teamers to maintain a high level so as to ease them into the fray.

That’s why the understated addition of Vakhtang Salia could prove such an excellent piece of business for the Toon, with the Georgia U21 international having completed his move from Dinamo Tbilisi to Newcastle at the end of August, a year after a deal was agreed to sign the teenager.

Said to be “one of the best teenage prospects in the world” by journalist Graeme Bailey, Salia is powerful and agile and endowed with sharp pace when on the ball. His tactical dynamism lends itself to a range of different attacking berths.

Sadly, Howe and co will have to wait to see how the prospect settles into life in England since he has picked up a small hamstring injury before making his bow for the U21s.

It’s frustrating, but those in the know claim that it will be worth the wait, with Salia boasting a skillset that could see him rival the most talented youngsters in the Premier League.

There’s even a sense that Salia might have a bit of Yamal about him; only a few weeks ahead of his 18th birthday, the tricky forward is settling into his new life on Tyneside and brings a potent attacking threat, having scored eight goals and supplied four assists for Dinamo’s senior side.

Yamal will be dejected and perhaps even a touch aggrieved that his name was not etched onto the plaque, but Ousmane Dembele was a worthy winner after leading Paris Saint-Germain to a historic quadruple, winning their maiden Champions League title.

It is probably worth stressing that we are not advocating Salia’s talent to lie at the same level as Yamal’s, but there are undeniable similarities in the versatile forwards’ respective styles of play.

Salia, silky and dangerous when advancing, has quite naturally been likened to his world-class countryman Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, but one Barcelona analyst actually believes it is indeed Yamal who is more aptly comparable, remarking that the Georgian is “of a similar profile” to the prodigious Spaniard.

Ballon d’Or runner-up Yamal is one of the most exciting up-and-coming talents since Lionel Messi broke onto the scene way back when. He is that good.

A relentless, oft-unstoppable dribbler with an eye for flair and a natural clinical edge, Yamal has been described as “the best player in the world” by Chelsea’s Cole Palmer earlier in 2025.

To expect Salia to emulate him at St. James’ Park would be foolish indeed, but if Howe can manufacture a player of comparable athleticism and energy and approach play, it would be quite something.

This may feel like overblown praise, but United battled tooth and nail against some of Europe’s biggest hitters to sign this rising star, with Real Madrid and Bayern Munich both registering interest of their own before Newcastle secured his signature.

Hailed as an “elite talent” by Hungarian journalist Bence Bocsak, Salia has so much potential, and he’s in the right place to realise those natural qualities. However, for now, we must wait.

Everything suggests it will be worth it for those of a Newcastle persuasion, though.