Newcastle United have claimed seven points from their opening three Premier League fixtures and stand a good chance of stretching into the top four with victory at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday.
The growth of the past several years has been remarkable, Eddie Howe the architect of Newcastle’s PIF-fuelled rise. The transfer dealings have been a thing to behold, for the most part, with the likes of Bruno Guimaraes, Anthony Gordon, Alexander Isak and Sven Botman among the stars to have made a significant impact.
But it’s not all external. The Magpies are flying and have benefitted from some revived existing players and one or two homegrown talents. None have been more impressive than Lewis Miley.
Lewis Miley’s 2023/24 season
Miley made his debut for Newcastle on the final day of the 2022/23 campaign, clipping the crossbar during a 1-1 draw against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
It was a statement start, and though Newcastle were knocked by persistent injuries and absence last year, particularly in midfield, the “elegant” teenager, as hailed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, used the opportunity to impress.
The fact that he only turned 18 in May is almost laughable, for here is a player with experience aplenty in the Premier League and Champions League, hailed for his “clever” play by journalist Henry Winter, who also praised his precocious maturity.
Lewis Miley: Senior Stats by Competition | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Competition | Apps | Goals | Assists |
Premier League | 18 | 1 | 3 |
FA Cup | 4 | 0 | 0 |
Champions League | 3 | 0 | 1 |
Carabao Cup | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Stats via Transfermarkt | |||
Across his 17 top-flight appearances last year – 14 starts – the rangy midfielder scored one goal and claimed three assists, also completing 84% of his passes, winning 54% of his ground duels and averaging 1.9 tackles and 4.6 ball recoveries per game, as per Sofascore.
It’s hardly surprising that his market value has shot up in no time at all.
Lewis Miley’s market value in 2024/25
Miley’s meteoric rise bears testament not only to his natural-born talent and studious approach to his craft, but Howe’s expert ability to guide him to the fore and allow him to flourish. He really does look to be older than his years.
The starlet’s performance against Chelsea back in May 2023 put his name on the map, but he was still a minnow in both stature and market value.
According to Football Transfers, Miley was worth just £2m at the time, though this still suggested recognition of his qualities. Fast-track to the present, and it would be fair to say that he’s eclipsed expectations.
Indeed, Miley now boasts a market value of £32m, which, to put it another way, stands as a 1350% rise in little over a year, which is astounding but deserved for a top, top talent.
What does the future hold? The 18-year-old is blessed with technical skills and intelligence. Come back next year, we might just be writing once again about a player defying the odds and soaring toward the apex of the Premier League’s talent pool.
