Tipped for relegation by some, the general consensus was that Newcastle United were set for a rapid decline this season, following the departure of Eddie Howe.
A mass exodus had occurred among the playing staff too, with Anthony Gordon, Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes all flying the nest amid a summer of change at St James’ Park.
Guimaraes, in particular, had been central to everything good about the Magpies for so long, the leader and the standard-bearer in Howe’s midfield unit.
The man with the armband in recent times, the Brazilian notably captained the club to Carabao Cup glory in 2025. He’s left big shoes to fill.
What is Newcastle’s leadership group this season?
It wasn’t just quality that Newcastle lost over the summer, it was experience too, with Guimaraes having been central to the club’s rise since signing back in January 2022.
Another early PIF arrival, Kieran Trippier, also departed for Wolverhampton Wanderers on a free transfer, the veteran Englishman having regularly taken on captaincy duty in recent years.
Unsurprisingly, the role of club captain has since been taken on by local hero, Dan Burn, the 34-year-old a deserving recipient having achieved almost cult status since returning to Tyneside just under five years ago.
The issue is, Burn doesn’t appear set to be a regular fixture in Matthias Jaissle’s starting lineup, while vice-captain Joelinton has been hampered by injury thus far.
That has left 2025 signing, Malick Thiaw, as the standout option to take on the armband in the early weeks of the campaign, the 25-year-old German arguably one of the club’s most consistent performers over a turbulent last 12 months or so.
As Burn confirmed in his pre-match notes ahead of the clash with Hull City, Thiaw is part of this newly assembled leadership group alongside himself, Joelinton and Yoane Wissa.
Wissa’s inclusion does speak to his recent resurgence under Jaissle’s watch, the 30-year-old seemingly set to be a key beneficiary of the change in the dugout.
He’s not the only one, either, with the final member of this leadership group also looking set to have a big role to play moving forward.
Why Newcastle have struck gold with their “future captain”
As noted above, the feeling was that Newcastle may well fall apart without Howe at the helm, yet on the evidence so far under Jaissle, the German was the kind of appointment that the club needed.
It hasn’t all been plain-sailing, as the dismal defeat to Leeds United showcased, yet there is a fresh, youthful feel to this Magpies side that is cause for excitement.
Indeed, the exit of Guimaraes and Tonali has notably thrust young Lewis Miley into a more prominent role in central midfield, the 20-year-old taking his chance with both hands thus far.
|
Miley – 26/27 Stats |
|
|---|---|
|
Stat (*per game) |
Record |
|
Games |
5 |
|
Goals & Assists |
0 |
|
Big chances created |
0 |
|
Key passes* |
0.8 |
|
Pass accuracy* |
89% |
|
Succ. dribbles* |
0.6 |
|
Tackles* |
1.2 |
|
Interceptions* |
1.0 |
|
Recoveries* |
5.2 |
|
Dribbled past* |
0.8 |
Having had to remain patient under Howe, while even operating at right-back on occasion last season, the academy graduate looks like a mainstay at present, starting all five Premier League games of 2026/27.
An elegant, eye-catching midfielder, Miley has long been a highly-rated figure in the north east, having made his top-flight debut at the age of just 17 back in 2022/23.
He notably started 14 games the following season, while he also started 15 times in 2025/26, yet this feels like the year when the youngster can really make his mark at senior level on a consistent basis.
His standing in this new-look side is clear, amid his inclusion in the five-man leadership squad, with the aforementioned Trippier having previously hailed him as a “future captain” of the club.
“People don’t realise he’s still only 19 years old, it’s crazy how young he is, but I’ve said many times to him he will be future captain of this club. It’s a good experience for him to take that responsibility.”
That again speaks to how highly regarded Miley is at St James’ Park, a fact that is only reinforced by his status as the most valuable player at the club right now.
As per the bright minds at CIES Football Observatory, Miley is the frontrunner at Newcastle in that sense, said to boast a maximum value of €87m (£74m).
For a player who cost the club nothing after rising up through the academy ranks, that is a stunning, rapid rise, with the England U21 international looking set to be a genuine star for club and country before too long.
He might have debuted under Howe, yet it is under Jaissle that Newcastle’s ‘future captain’ really looks set to explode.
