Amid the shuttle runs, hill sprints and X-ray body fat scans of a balmy pre-season training camp, Newcastle United’s under-23 players broke off from their preparations in Spain this summer for a meeting with the club’s former striker Shola Ameobi.



He is now Newcastle’s loans manager and, in the temporary absence of a manager following the departure of Rafa Benitez, Ameobi’s significance grew during the opening fortnight of July.



Newcastle appointed Steve Bruce as head coach on July 17 but pre-season began for the under-23s earlier in the month. Soon enough, Ameobi was swamped by enquiries about some of the club’s youngsters.



He flew out to Murcia and sat down individually with the next generation of talent. For some, such as goalkeeper Freddie Woodman, full-back Liam Gibson and striker Elias Sorensen, loan deals would soon be in place for moves to Swansea City, Grimsby Town and Carlisle United respectively.



Then came...