What's going on with Antonio Cordero?

A key theme of Newcastle's post-takeover recruitment has been the focus on 'project players.'

Young talents from abroad who can arrive on the cheap, develop and either slot into Eddie Howe's side in years to come, or be sold for a sizeable profit.

One of the latest examples saw Antonio Cordero arrive in July, signing on a free transfer after a breakthrough season at La Liga 2 side Malaga.

The 18-year-old winger was always expected to head out on loan and he joined Belgian side KVC Westerlo on August 1st, allowing him to play regularly in Europe once again after 40 senior appearances for Malaga over the 2024/25 campaign.

Two months on, however, the young Spaniard has struggled for game time in a tough start to his spell in the Belgian Pro League.

Cordero has played just 81 minutes of football since August, managing no starts, one 45 minute outing, two 15-20-minute cameos and back-to-back appearances before the international break that saw him come on for just one minute.

It's too early in the season to suggest we've got it wrong, as he's a teenager adjusting to a new country, new league, new teammates and new manager, but less than 90 minutes of competitive action in just over two months isn't enough for a player who was starting week in week out last season.

Hopefully Cordero can settle in, knuckle down and start to show what he can do, otherwise a difficult conversation may be needed in the new year about a loan spell that's not quite gone to plan in the first few months of 2025/26.