Plenty of Newcastle United fans have been reacting to Newcastle reporter Lee Ryder’s tweet sharing the news that the Toon have secured the signature of 18-year-old Niall Brookwell.
The Sunderland Echo recently published a report stating that Newcastle beat ‘a number of clubs’ to the ex-Liverpool youth player’s signature, including their North-East rivals Sunderland. This report claims that Brookwell was one of Sunderland’s ‘main summer targets’, while both Burnley and Crystal Palace were also said to be ‘keeping tabs on the player’. However, the 18-year-old has opted to join the Toon.
After Ryder took to Twitter to share this news via a tweet, some Toon supporters replied to his post to react to Brookwell’s signing.
Niall Brookwell to sign for #nufc today after leaving Liverpool. Turned down Burnley and Crystal Palace to join club's Under-23s.
— Lee Ryder (@lee_ryder) July 24, 2020
Some Newcastle supporters were underwhelmed by this news, with a couple stating that if Brookwell were any good, he wouldn’t have left Liverpool.
If he was any good he wouldnt have left.
— Ian Bailey (@IanBail70550812) July 24, 2020
Not exactly Mbappe though is he ?
— Delboy E ???? (@dedwards1892) July 24, 2020
Obviously not very good, Liverpool wouldn’t of let him go otherwise ?????????? https://t.co/tp9X8EiXxu
— Graham Speight (@GrahamSpeight) July 24, 2020
One Toon fan replied to Ryder’s tweet to question if Brookwell will be the club’s ‘major signing under Ashley this summer,’ while another Newcastle supporter jested that Brookwell is the Toon’s ‘marquee signing’ for the summer.
Theres the markee signing this summer ?
— Shadders (@Shadders86) July 24, 2020
Is he going to be the major signing under Ashley this summer?
— Rich Harle (@RJHarle) July 24, 2020
Are you pleased about this signing?
YES
NO
However, not all of the reactions to this news were negative.
Added fact – he also turned down Sunderland ?
Welcome Niall! #NUFC ???? https://t.co/9iARWJQXzO
— TheNewcastlePost (@NewcastlePost) July 24, 2020
Ross Gregory also shared the news:
Saudis pulling the strings already. Cracking signing..
— Kevin Doocey (@KevinDoocey) July 23, 2020
Anyone who signs for our u23s is not going to be of high quality or potential. You don’t join a sinking ship, you bail out.
— John Ridley (@Ridderz86) July 23, 2020
As per liverpoolfc.com, Brookwell is a versatile player who ‘can play anywhere across the midfield and at centre-back’. The 18-year-old’s versatility may have been a quality that stood out to the Toon when making the decision to sign him.
However, given that he didn’t make a senior appearance during his time at Liverpool, it may be fair to say that Brookwell is unproven at the top level and it may be understandable why some Toon fans weren’t particularly excited about this news.