Newcastle midfielder Liam Smith looks for January loan

Newcastle United attacker Liam Smith is set on facing he exit door at the club in January on loan just days after the transfer window slammed shut, according to the Newcastle Chronicle.

The outlet claims that the 21-year-old attacking midfielder wants to earn more first-team football after his temporary stint at Crewe was cut short last season by injury before he managed to kick a ball in a competitive match.

Smith was forced to returned to St. James Park after he was struck down with an ankle injury that he later aggravated in a training session with the Tyneside club.

However, after returning to full fitness, the young star is looking to complete a full recovery and find game time elsewhere, even though he just missed the chance to leave with the summer window slamming shut last week.

Is Liam Smith leaving a good move for Newcastle?

Liam Smith doesn’t look like he has the ability to make it in first-team football, but he could be worth shipping out just to try and bump up his valuation for a potential future sale. Newcastle manager Rafael Benitez has had no quarrels about sending players like Adam Armstrong and Ivan Toney out on loan to the Football League in the summer, so even though the window has just got shut, it would make sense to send out Smith too.

How likely is this going to happen?

If he wants to leave on loan then there’s a good chance that his wish will be granted. It seems that there was a plan in place to let him earn football at another club in last season until he bagged another injury, so the Spanish boss may look to revisit that strategy in January. Liam Smith could always leave on an emergency loan at a sooner date if it becomes an option.