Newcastle offer Nigeria-eligible teenager scholarship deal as prelude to professional contract

ENGLISH Premier League giants Newcastle United have offered Nigeria-eligible teenage midfielder Chukwudi Afumuzor a scholarship deal  as a prelude to offering him a full-blown professional contract when he leaves school this summer.

Afumuzor, 16, is a dominant box-to-box midfielder, who signed a two-year schoolboy contract Newcastle in 2024. Now that he has successfully come through the youth set-up as St James Park, Newcastle have signed him up as one of eight teenagers have signed scholarships at the club's Little Benton Academy ahead of the 2026/27 season.

Last season, Afumuzor, made his debut for Newcastle United in the U18 Premier League, featuring in the closing minutes of a 4-2 loss to Everton back in March. Very impressed with his form, the Magpies have confirmed that Afumuzor will join the club on a fulltime basis after leaving school this summer.

Very proud of his heritage, Afumuzor, who spent eight years at Portsmouth before joining Newcastle United in 2024, has expressed his willingness to represent the Golden Eaglets if approached by the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF). Over the coming season, he is expected to make additional appearances for the Newcastle U18 team.

Already, Afumuzor has earned a reputation as an energetic box-to-box midfielder capable of contributing effectively in both defence and attack.  His playing style has seen him likened to Nigeria international and Manchester City academy product Fisayo Dele-Bashiru.