Newcastle United have emphatically stormed into European contention this season, and with just two points separating the Magpies from fourth-place Tottenham Hotspur, who have played two games extra, Champions League football gracing St. James's Park next term is a very real possibility.
The defence is oiled and imperious, the midfield cohesive and robust, up top, £63m summer signing Alexander Isak is offering glimpses of world-class dominance despite his season being heavily hampered by injury.
Isak has scored six goals from just seven starts in the Premier League, including three strikes from his past two matches, and the Swede looks to be a real force at the tip of manager Eddie Howe's system, prolific and hailed as "a unicorn for his mixture of size & technical ability" by radio presenter Kev Lawson.
His injury record is concerning, however, with the 23-year-old missing 13 competitive matches for the Toon thus far, and while 31-year-old forward Callum Wilson has been a steady presence up front in his absence, scoring seven goals from 19 league outings this term, Howe will be looking to unearth a strike partner for his record signing to solidify the frontline for years to come.
Newcastle's affluence could prompt technical director Dan Ashworth to delve into the transfer market yet again, but with such a potent forward already adopting the talismanic role, turning to youth prospect Michael Ndiweni could be the route to head down.
Who is Michael Ndiweni?
Ndiweni took U18 football by storm last season, scoring a laudable 13 goals from 17 appearances, including from 13 outings in the U18 Premier League and three from three in the FA Youth Cup.
This season, fortunes have been less fruitful as the 19-year-old has stepped up to U21 level, with just two strikes and one assist from 12 matches in the Premier League 2, though with just five starts to his name he is making steady progress and will hope to harness his "lethal" quality soon – as hailed by Ciaran Kelly.
With his "impressive" start to life with the Magpies, as remarked by journalist Matty Hewitt, only set to expand as he continues to acclimatise to life with the U21s, he will indeed be pushing on Howe's door for a senior debut, having already trained with the first-team on several occasions.
Hailed as a "real threat" by Mark Carruthers, Ndiweni might not find a place in Howe's plans this term but if he is to continue his development and notch up his goal threat with the U21s he could well find a place in the reckoning for contention at one of the Premier League's most exciting forces.
Indeed, with the injury records of both Isak and Wilson, there is every chance his first-team dreams become a reality in short time.
