Garang Kuol: Newcastle United agree deal to sign 18-year-old Australian forward - BBC Sport
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Garang Kuol: Newcastle United agree deal to sign 18-year-old Australian forward

Last updated on .From the section Newcastlecomments354

Garang Kuol
Kuol only signed his first professional contract with the Mariners in June

Newcastle have agreed a deal to sign 18-year-old Garang Kuol from Central Coast Mariners, with the Australian forward joining the club in January.

"It's unreal. As a young boy in Australia, the Premier League is the main thing that everyone watches but nobody actually thinks they'll reach those heights," said Kuol.

"To be one of those people, to be in the position I am, it's amazing."

Newcastle reportedly paid an initial £300,000external-link before add-on clauses.

"He's very sharp, agile, quick, a good finisher," said Newcastle manager Eddie Howe.

"He's got a lot of very positive ingredients. That is going to be nurtured and developed in the next couple of years to get him at the right level for the Premier League.

"I met him for the first time in person yesterday. That was a very good conversation. He is a very confident, independent lad who has got high motivation."

Kuol earned his first Australia cap last week becoming the youngest player to represent his country since former Leeds and Liverpool Harry Kewell in 1996.

Kuol, who only signed his first professional deal in June, has emerged as a late bolter for the Socceroos' Qatar 2022 squad after four goals in his seven substitute appearances for the Mariners.

He also impressed in a cameo in a post-season friendly against Barcelona, earning praise from opposition manager Xavi.

Garang Kuol
Kuol could be sent on loan to gain more game time

"Now that I've signed for Newcastle, I want to train hard, play hard, hopefully go to the World Cup and come back here," Kuol added.

Born in Egypt, Kuol and his family arrived in the country as refugees from South Sudan. His elder brother Alou moved from the Mariners to German side Stuttgart in 2021.

Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.

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354 comments

  • Comment posted by 3EyedCraven, at 09:40 30 Sep 2022

    Kuol & the Garang.. one to celebrate

    • Reply posted by Summers , at 10:20 30 Sep 2022

      Summers replied:
      underrated comment 👌

  • Comment posted by Toontoon99, at 14:58 30 Sep 2022

    Taking Kuol to Newcastle? Whoever heard of such a thing.

    • Reply posted by BeigeAthleticGhost, at 17:20 30 Sep 2022

      BeigeAthleticGhost replied:
      Very good

  • Comment posted by Roy of the Rovers, at 10:15 30 Sep 2022

    In the world of football £300K is absolute peanuts, over a couple of years Newcastle will probably invest a couple of million in him, but even if he only turns out average, he'll be worth about £10M by the way prices are going, so well worth the gamble.

    • Reply posted by Gus McPherson, at 13:35 30 Sep 2022

      Gus McPherson replied:
      Absolutely, £300K only buys you a good pitch invasion these days.

  • Comment posted by Danny Doyle, at 08:34 30 Sep 2022

    Ah yes, he’s the son of former Leeds and Australia international Harry.

    • Reply posted by D1671306573640, at 12:49 30 Sep 2022

      D1671306573640 replied:
      Harry Kewell?

  • Comment posted by Guiri, at 08:43 30 Sep 2022

    Oz to Newcastle... What a lucky lad...

    • Reply posted by GorbleGorble, at 08:47 30 Sep 2022

      GorbleGorble replied:
      The club he plays for is based in Gosford, which is just over 50 miles away from Newcastle. Maybe he doesn't realise which Newcastle he's signing for?

  • Comment posted by D1697367905380, at 09:55 30 Sep 2022

    Good luck to the lad

    • Reply posted by B4N, at 15:00 30 Sep 2022

      B4N replied:
      haha!!!!!!

  • Comment posted by D1713928031799, at 09:08 30 Sep 2022

    Fairy tale stuff for the Aussie lad he's never actually started in a senior game. Go well young man.

    • Reply posted by Dazza, at 11:19 30 Sep 2022

      Dazza replied:
      Probably never will

  • Comment posted by Will, at 09:53 30 Sep 2022

    Best of luck to the kid.

    For £300k Premier League clubs can take 100 gambles on young players and if one of them works out it's a decent investment.

    • Reply posted by Weyhadaway, at 13:03 30 Sep 2022

      Weyhadaway replied:
      You just have to look at the size of the academies at Citeh and Chelski to see where the Toon are heading. As you say, grab the good kids and sell or loan the ones who don’t make it. Keep the cream for yourself. Right little earner.

  • Comment posted by NK the Don, at 13:09 30 Sep 2022

    Everton also paid £300k recently, but for a fine. No player.

    • Reply posted by The Spin Doctor, at 19:20 30 Sep 2022

      The Spin Doctor replied:
      Considering the performance of most of Everton's signings in recent years, Everton paying the fee but getting nobody in return likely would have yielded the same success rate as getting the actual player they paid for.

  • Comment posted by utd fan again, at 12:22 30 Sep 2022

    Good luck Kuol, great to see raw Aussie talent getting chances into the Prem.

    As an aside, my current team are considering changing the colour of our shorts (blue) - we're not particulalry good and often get intimidated by better sides.

    We were thinking, brown as accidents are a frequent occurrence. Do you think this could catch-on?

    • Reply posted by the peoples poet, at 19:26 30 Sep 2022

      the peoples poet replied:
      if he likes the Australian beaches wait till he sees Whitley bay...

  • Comment posted by Wibble, at 09:30 30 Sep 2022

    Newcastle did well getting him for that price. There's been rumblings of the world's biggest clubs sniffing round this lad since he played v's Barca on all the 'in the know' threads on twitter and fan forums. I expected him to actually go to Barca, but with them already having so many youngsters coming through and their financial issues I guess they couldn't find a space.

    • Reply posted by Another Fickle Fan, at 11:11 30 Sep 2022

      Another Fickle Fan replied:
      Or afford 300k

  • Comment posted by Mark K, at 09:46 30 Sep 2022

    With Mark Leyland to develop the player even further. Good job by NUFC.

  • Comment posted by D1703973600149, at 08:26 30 Sep 2022

    Well this is a welcome relief from the H&S meeting I’m sat in

    • Reply posted by D1712750408792, at 08:50 30 Sep 2022

      D1712750408792 replied:
      Are all 75 words on which a HYS has been opened relieving?

  • Comment posted by Dai Hard, at 08:54 30 Sep 2022

    G'day ya big beautiful barstools.... here's me head !!!

    • Reply posted by lee19760_0, at 09:00 30 Sep 2022

      lee19760_0 replied:
      Yawn

  • Comment posted by The Bus, at 08:38 30 Sep 2022

    Good luck young man, but surely teams should be scouring the lower leagues, I'm sure there are loads of young British players with potential just waiting to be snapped up, like teams did years ago,i.e Les Ferdinand, Steve nicol, Chris Waddle to name a few.

    • Reply posted by BBC TV, at 08:42 30 Sep 2022

      BBC TV replied:
      Jamie Vardy did alright as well

  • Comment posted by Brownale1, at 10:04 30 Sep 2022

    Brilliant investing in young talent

  • Comment posted by D1681100775274, at 12:07 30 Sep 2022

    "Born in Egypt, Kuol and his family arrived in the country as refugees from South Sudan. His elder brother Alou moved from the Mariners to German side Stuttgart in 2021."

    Thanks beeb for this solitary hys. We love the drip-feed of opportunity we get to comment on male professional football topics.

    I would gladly pay triple my current licence fee.

  • Comment posted by Duncman, at 08:17 1 Oct 2022

    This is the way to go for Newcastle. Buy talented young players and invest in your coaching and academy. The big names won’t come until they’re past it and I’m not saying that just because it’s in the North East. Look at Arsenal over the last few years. Even if you can afford a top player they will go to City, Madrid etc. So you have to go with youth and build it yourselves

  • Comment posted by Dubbus, at 22:36 30 Sep 2022

    300k is a weeks wages for some established players, worth a punt as the man would say.

  • Comment posted by tysonjohn, at 08:29 30 Sep 2022

    Breaking news lol

    • Reply posted by D1682552405157, at 12:58 30 Sep 2022

      D1682552405157 replied:
      For those who are interested

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