Newcastle United sporting director Dan Ashworth will back Eddie Howe's plan to take a good look at Elliot Anderson during pre-season.
Howe has already indicated that the 19-year-old will be used during the summer friendly schedule before a decision is made on where he will be sent on loan to. Both Bristol Rovers and Sheffield Wednesday are keen on taking the teenager on a season-long loan deal.
But Ashworth has already hinted that existing squad members could potentially save time and money and taking a look at those who are already on the books is high on the Toon supremo's agenda. Ashworth, speaking to the club's TV channel, said: "From a player recruitment point of view, it might be that we are after a player in X or Y position. "But it just might be that we've already got one at the club who is out on loan doing well or might be in the Under-23s.
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"And if you can have somebody that's looking at all the things together you might say 'We might have missed one here', there might somebody who can fulfil the role we're looking for rather than automatically having to go out and buy a player.
"That's the idea of the job (sporting director), being cohesive and joining it all up."
Another player whose future will be reviewed is Matty Longstaff who had loan stints at Aberdeen and Mansfield Town. Ashworth is tasked with taking a closer look at a youngster that scored the winner against Manchester United in 2019 in the Premier League and proved he could handle the top-flight but was arguably mismanaged and ended up playing in the fourth tier.
Longstaff has a year left on his deal and after Steve Bruce didn't play him and Howe opted for a loan exit for the player in January, he may be worth another try with a year left on his deal.
