Have Newcastle unearthed another diamond?

The pre-season so far has been decidedly 'meh' from where I'm sitting. I'm not just talking about results, but in general I've not really worked out what to think of it thus far.

To me a big part of pre-season is getting to know your new team-mates; how they play, how they work, that kind of thing. Obviously that isn't going to happen as we have four of our first-team squad in Holland plus another four on the treatment table.

However, as one door closes another door opens, and that has been something that has allowed me to be impressed with a certain new signing who looks as though he has real promise havig inly recently arrived on Tyneside.

Mehdi Abeid has done nothing but impress me since his arrival. We've seen him three times now and each time I've seen him he has offered the team something different. In fact I would go as far to say that he hasn't looked out of place in the first team as yet and would even give him the rather dubious honour of being the best black and white player on the park against Orlando.

Abeid is only 18 yet he has the touch and vision of someone much older. Initially the former Lens youngster was signed as an addition to our ever growing numbers of young, talented players, but if he carries on in the same vein I can see it being only a matter of time before he is considered a first-team squad member.

For me he has arguably been the success story of the pre-season to date, which is a nice surprise to be honest. He seems like a good lad and his Facebook profile is filling up with pictures of him and his new team-mates having a laugh and carry on so he seems to be enjoying himself. Long may it continue.

I know a lot of you guys have seen him in action, either at Darlington, Kansas or Orlando, so I just wanted to see if you guys have felt the same? Have you been impressed with Mehdi Abeid?

Could we have another hidden gen on our hands?