Newcastle United Take Young Swiss Star on Trial as Magpies Plan Youth Team Revolution

Newcastle are planning several key additions to their development squad this summer and hope to make 17-year-old Swiss trialist Yannick Toure the first new kid on the block.

Toure was born in the Senegalese capital Dakar but has played for Switzerland at youth level, scoring twice on his Under-17 international debut against Austria. He is a pacy player with the ability to play on either wing, or as a centre forward.

He is currently on the books of newly-crowned Swiss champions Young Boys but his contract expires this summer and Newcastle are hoping to add him to their youth squad as they look for cheap talent for the future - although they would have to pay a small compensation fee.

The Newcastle Chronicle reports that Toure has been handed a trial at the club this week as Newcastle prepare for a massive turnover of academy players. Only two Under-23 players have been offered new contracts at the club.

Manager Rafa Benitez has spoken about the need for a change in the way the academy is presently operated.

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“The main thing has been to reduce some of the squads, because they have too many players, and to see if they have something different for the future," said the Spaniard.

“We have a lot of players that will be released this year. I was talking with Ben about the Academy and the Under-23s and if he could see if things were going well. He said they will have a lot of players that will leave.”

Benitez hopes that 19-year-old goalkeeper Paul Woolston, who has played for England at youth level and trained with the senior team, will remain after the clear-out.

“He’s a good keeper. When we need a player on the pitch, he’s quite good with his feet. I think he’s keen to learn. He’s been good with us in every training session,” Benitez said.