Newcastle United under-21s boss Ben Dawson insists he has 'no idea' over a reported imminent two-week trial for Dujuan 'Whisper' Richards. The Jamaican teenage attacker is said to have been granted a visa to travel to the UK as he bids to impress the Magpies academy staff.
Richards currently plays with Kingston College and Phoenix All Stars Academy, and it was with the latter that Aston Villa star Leon Bailey began his career. The prospective Newcastle trialist earned his first senior Jamaica call-up last month to join a training camp, having scored more than 30 goals for Kingston College at schoolboy level last season.
Academy president Craig Butler confirmed Richards is set to trial with a 'top-five team' in the Premier League, with the Jamaica Observer claiming the 17-year-old's destination is Tyneside. The move would be the latest sign of Newcastle's determination to acquire rising stars from across the globe, with A-League wonderkid Garang Kuol joining in the mid-season window.
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Reports suggest Richards has already arrived in the country, with his fortnight-long trial due to begin on Monday according to NUFC Blog. However, recently-appointed U21s boss Dawson insists he has not been made aware of a prospective temporary addition to his squad.
When asked about reports of a trial, Dawson told ChronicleLive: "No idea. I've read the same as you, I've read reports online but I haven't had any indication from either Steve [Harper] or anybody in the recruitment team that we have anybody coming in. At the minute, I'm just planning with what we've got and anybody from the under-18s we think can make the step up when we're back in."
Newcastle U21s are still searching for their first victory of 2023, having suffered a derby defeat in their last outing against Sunderland on Monday. If Richards does join the academy setup on a trial basis, the forward would be eligible to feature in the Premier League 2 clash with Leeds United on February 13.
* Newcastle United U21s return to Premier League 2 action on February 13 against Leeds United. You can follow all of the updates from Whitley Park as it happens here.
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