Newcastle are taking 16-year-old Finnish goalkeeper Otto Huuhtanen on a one-week trial with the club trying to bolster their squad at every level of the club under new manager Rafa Benitez.
The 6ft 2ins tall goalkeeper is highly rated in his home country and has played for the Finland U-16 side and he will try to earn a contract at Newcastle in the coming week.
Otto Huuhtanen – 16 year-old Finnish goalkeeper
He is currently at his homer town club Ilves Tampere and has already been on the subs bench and wears the number 12 shirt even through he doesn’t turn 17 until February.
The goalkeeper has a contract that runs for the next two years, but the club seems happy to have him travel to England for the trial.
Huuhtanen had a similar trial at Norwich back in March but the East Anglia club decided not to sign the player.
Huuhtanen has a high profile at his home town club and this is what the Ilves Tampere’ President and CEO Toni Hevonkorpi had to say about him:
“Of course it is great to see that the development of Otto’s has been noticed and even by foreign clubs.”
“Otto now travels to England for the second time and I hope this camp will go just as well as the first one.”
Rafa Benitez is keen to build up the squads at each level of the club after a disastrous season in which all age levels underperformed at the club and of course we were relegated to the Championship for the second time in seven years.
We are all hoping the only way for Newcastle now it up – and quickly too.
Comments welcome.
50 comments so far
Ron Knee
Jul 10, 2016 at 9:00 AM
Comment #1expat
The UK’s next PM, probably.
hibbitt
Jul 10, 2016 at 9:01 AM
Comment #2so you haven’t seen him play
very good captain leads from the back takes no shit big solid player knows how to score can defend exactly what we need in the championship
worth every penny of the £5 m
as far as the kids go we haven’t got anyone coming through that’s any where near the first team
I don’t know about this new scottish kid
//
jazzyp
Jul 10, 2016 at 9:04 AM
Comment #3Looking like we are trying to bolster at every level, And long may it continue.
I think there is going to be a lot more transfer activity over the coming weeks both in and out. There has still been more outgoings than incomings at present, And I would expect still more to be sold. We could easily lose Mr T…Janmaat….Wini……Sissoko….Krull and hopefully Riviere and Gouffy.
That’s a hell of a lot to replace in one transfer window
SPRINGY
Jul 10, 2016 at 9:04 AM
Comment #4pretty sure that hayden lad is coming in as def mid from what ive read,so still need a cb
SPRINGY
Jul 10, 2016 at 9:06 AM
Comment #5with cisse going and us dropping a level is riviere and goofy leaving a certainty…im not so sure now?
SPRINGY
Jul 10, 2016 at 9:12 AM
Comment #6i say my last comment due to the fact cisse gone,mitro banned and arma carrying a knock,although he trained in ireland so might not be to bad….that only leaves gayle,rivvy,goofy and a couple of youngins as out and out strikers at the minute.
Jail for Ashley
Jul 10, 2016 at 9:21 AM
Comment #7Sorry lads nobody wants to see this drag on. I’m hardly posting these last few days because of the type of work were doing. I see welsh saying it was peaceful all day until I had a go at (c)arl, not one mention of Ian Toon shyte stirring after a three month “absence”. Of course bobbybee doesn’t care who he’s talking to as long as there not having a go at him over his apoplectic rants. Typical of Ian Toon to fart in the room before walking out then coming back in five minutes later with a mask on.
Rafa IN!
RonVanDam
Jul 10, 2016 at 9:27 AM
Comment #8Man U’s youth development scout Derek Langley has been released by JM after 16 years service. Worth a punt at the academy?
sparky55
Jul 10, 2016 at 9:32 AM
Comment #9All coming together lads…he’s not just bringing in experienced championship players to get us back up straight away…he’s bringing in players that will also do a job in the premiership and that’s really important.
Too many managers just buy championship stalwarts to get promoted and then ditch them for better players using the premiership coffers but that unsettles the team and is a negative.
There will be such a wave of jubilation and and togetherness when you get promoted which IMO should not be compromised by changing 5 or 6 players before the start of the next season. Leicester were a good example of this…the togetherness of that squad is what won the league but that will never happen again…but the recipe is correct…keep the team together and they will perform to a better sum than the individual parts
HWTL 🙂
Fostino
Jul 10, 2016 at 9:36 AM
Comment #10Still need cb..lb..St.
Krul..janmaat …tiote…goofy…riverie can go in peace then.
Tsunki
Jul 10, 2016 at 9:51 AM
Comment #11So Bobby doesn’t care about multiples, and would come in here even to.just talk to himself
Well the reason I care about multiples is their purpose, far from being the victims the multiples use their aliases to snipe, cajole and bully by forming a narrative that easily draws other peripheral blog nasties into their dragnet. By such a device, the blog is turned into their playground, pitting the with and anger of posters against each other, and in actuality, diluting the footy talk by creating clouds of personal affront.
Above all, it’s cowardly. My own sojourn with creating a second account proved to me that you can flavour the blog for the worse and it’s a spineless childish thing to perpetuate, especially when you have been caught red-handed addressing yourself many times. As if the nufcblog collective were all that stupid!
jazzyp
Jul 10, 2016 at 9:52 AM
Comment #12https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cm_XUwrXgAEKKY0.jpg
Even if we sell our top players then this should be good enough for the championship
welshgeordie9
Jul 10, 2016 at 9:55 AM
Comment #13jazzyp
That’s a strong lineup and bench, like that a lot.
welshgeordie9
Jul 10, 2016 at 9:57 AM
Comment #14My only worry with that is we are using 3 forwards at a time, can’t really do that 3 times a week.
welshgeordie9
Jul 10, 2016 at 9:59 AM
Comment #15Perhaps change de dong with another forward, a new one.
expatmag
Jul 10, 2016 at 10:02 AM
Comment #16RON
Ohhhhh……you have found some poor bunny willing to get you lot further in the MANUREEEEE……LOL
sparky55
Jul 10, 2016 at 10:02 AM
Comment #17Whats important about that squad and lineup is it’s flexibility, depth and potential…all those players will improve under Rafa and all those players by the end of this coming season will be good enough for the Premiership.
Rafa will be able to surprise the opposition every week with that squad
jazzyp
Jul 10, 2016 at 10:03 AM
Comment #18Welshie
I think there will be a lot more transfer activity to come mate.
That’s a good enough line up to start the season but i agree, Not a team to play week in week out.
A lot more numbers need to be added for the riggers of the Championship, But i am sure Rafa will address this over the coming weeks
expatmag
Jul 10, 2016 at 10:05 AM
Comment #19JFA
Apart from being a sense of amusement, I doubt many on this blog really give a toss, to be honest
sparky55
Jul 10, 2016 at 10:06 AM
Comment #20expat…:-) you could quite well be right there mate! 🙂
welshgeordie9
Jul 10, 2016 at 10:07 AM
Comment #21Jazzyp
Totally agree if that’s a start to our new look team, i can’t wait to find out what it looks like when it’s all finished, exciting times ahead thanks to Rafa.
expatmag
Jul 10, 2016 at 10:08 AM
Comment #22SPARKY
I am such a hard hearted git…….lol
sparky55
Jul 10, 2016 at 10:10 AM
Comment #23I would suggest “honest and frank” as a more accurate description but this could well open up a can of worms hahahahaha
The next 10 minutes could be interesting 🙂
welshgeordie9
Jul 10, 2016 at 10:11 AM
Comment #24With a lot of the players leaving and coming in, I hope it doesn’t take long for all the players to gel and click on the pitch, I’m sure it won’t though.
geordie157
Jul 10, 2016 at 10:11 AM
Comment #25is Nick Powell who Man U released worth a look?
sparky55
Jul 10, 2016 at 10:13 AM
Comment #26….or maybe no-one gives a toss :-):-)
expatmag
Jul 10, 2016 at 10:16 AM
Comment #27SPARKY
Right second time bud…..lol
Rotonda heights
Jul 10, 2016 at 10:17 AM
Comment #28rigours
jazzyp
Jul 10, 2016 at 10:17 AM
Comment #29Isaac hayden seems cheap at 2.5 mill if he is that good. I would not have thought Wenger would have let him go if he thought anything of the kid.
Apparently Watford interested in Janmaat !!
expatmag
Jul 10, 2016 at 10:18 AM
Comment #30GEordie
Canny player but I would have thought we have priorities elsewhere as we are currently eell stocked with midfielders
jazzyp
Jul 10, 2016 at 10:18 AM
Comment #31Blog police
expatmag
Jul 10, 2016 at 10:20 AM
Comment #32JAZZY
Watford can cough up 8m and they can have him. No loss
jazzyp
Jul 10, 2016 at 10:25 AM
Comment #33Expat
If Blackburn value Grant at 7-8 mill then i would have thought he was worth more than that mate.
Im sure with Juve sniffing around i doubt he would choose Watford.
How many bottles you downed now buddy ??
ROSHAN MAGPIE
Jul 10, 2016 at 10:26 AM
Comment #34hayden could be like James perch
sparky55
Jul 10, 2016 at 10:28 AM
Comment #35everyone who wants to leave is no loss…they drag the team spirit down.
togetherness is one of the most important things and rafa knows that
janmaat, sissoko and winji and and tiote will all go because rafa knows they will be poisonous to team spirit
ShirebrookToon
Jul 10, 2016 at 10:30 AM
Comment #36So with Hayden soon to join our ranks does that mean tiote or saivet could be on their way
ShirebrookToon
Jul 10, 2016 at 10:32 AM
Comment #37Hope Sissoko starts tonight and has a blinder to bump his price tag up. I’d like Gini to stay as he has a lot more to offer than sissy
expatmag
Jul 10, 2016 at 10:33 AM
Comment #38JAZZY
I agree. I wasnt aware Blackburn value him so highly.
From what I have seen, he is no more than a championship player, international for a second rate country therefore worth no more ghan 3 million pounds
jazzyp
Jul 10, 2016 at 10:34 AM
Comment #39According to a report in the Daily Mirror, Newcastle United had planned to swap Georginio Wijnaldum for Liverpool’s Jordon Ibe, when Jurgen Klopp’s side first registered their interest in the midfielder.
Newcastle wanted a cash sum and Ibe, in exchange for Wijnaldum – but their plans have been scuppered.
Bournemouth have made a cash bid for Ibe, which has been accepted, and the winger is now expected to move to the south coast.
Oldgit1
Jul 10, 2016 at 10:47 AM
Comment #40@ Jazzyp I still believe that a move to NUFC under Rafa and playing in front of 50k fans would have some appeal although I do rate Howe as a manager. Playing in front of 12 k crowds wouldn’t appeal to me though.