Yarney looks to learn from Lascelles

NEWCASTLE United youngster Josef Yarney believes he can improve his game by learning from club captain Jamaal Lascelles as he potentially heads to Ireland with the first team.

The 20-year-old joined last summer from Everton and had a solid debut season for the U23s.

The centre back now hopes to push on and follow in the footsteps of Lascelles.

“Being around Jamaal and players like that – for me as a centre back, it’s great to be around people like that,” he said.

“I was watching the way he’s been with the lads and the staff and the way he plays, the way he leads the team, and also a lot of the other lads too.

“You see where he’s come in a short space of time, and he’s getting linked with coming into the England squad now, so it’s a good motivation.” Yarney turned out 30 times for the U23s last season and is hoping to continue his good form of 2017-18 with a view to breaking into the first team squad for the competitive season.

“I thought it was a very positive season considering I didn’t play many games the season before when I was at Everton, so it was nice to get a lot of games,” he told the club website.

“I think at the end of the season we played something like eight games in 21 days, but I enjoyed that.”

Yarney was set to be on the plane that heads out to Ireland for a training camp, meaning that he will get valuable experience with the first team squad.

“Last season was my first season at the club – I was coming in and I was new.

“I’ve been here for a year now, and everyone knows what I’m capable of and what I can do, and where I can be.

“I just wanted to come here and show what I could do, and put a positive thought in people’s minds about me.

“For a young lad like me going up there, it’s not just training, it’s a chance to impress and a chance to get better, being around all the lads and top quality players.

“I think it’s always a big chance when you go with the first team and you’re going to be around the manager and the staff.”