Well known local former local footballer Neil Bartholomew has just pulled off a major coup in his new role as an agent - with the announcement that talented young midfielder Kyle Scott has signed for Newcastle United.

Neil of Saundersfoot, who during his playing days represented Haverfordwest County FC, and Narberth FC locally, has been working as a scout for the past few years for the likes of Leicester City and Hull City, before becoming an agent, and now representing twenty-one-year-old Scott who checked in at St. James’ Park this week after spending 12 years with Chelsea, where he progressed through the age groups before making his first team debut in February, 2018.

References don’t come much better than Eden Hazard or David Luiz - and that’s who Newcastle United’s latest signing Kyle Scott has got in his corner.

The pair, impressed with the 21-year-old’s talents, are said to have encouraged Scott to try his luck with Barcelona or PSG as his future at Chelsea remained in Limbo.

An offer of a trial from Barcelona soon arrived - Scott was invited to fly out and train with the Catalan giants, but having considered his options, the American turned down the opportunity.

Arriving at Newcastle, and encouraged by the development of Sean Longstaff, first-team football is the aim of Scott - and the feeling was that the impression he had made for the Chelsea first team, in the FA Cup and Champions League, warranted more than a trial - even it was for Barcelona.

If Chelsea weren’t going to afford him the chance then there were no shortage of top teams, not just in the Premier League but across Europe, who were ready and waiting according to his representative Neil, with scouts from Rapid Vienna and Barcelona even turning up to watch Scott play at Telstar, unaware he’d left his loan deal early and headed back to Chelsea.

Yet despite the interest, it was Newcastle who had acted quickly and impressively to snap Scott up, with Neil praising the club’s hierarchy.

“Chelsea offered him a four-year extension, so he wasn’t going to be on a free, and United have got themselves a real bargain,” remarked Neil to the Newcastle Chronicle this week.

“When I spoke to people within the game, they couldn’t believe he was available - so it’s a credit to Lee Charnley, he’s been excellent.

“He listened to me and trusted my judgment. He and Steve Nickson got on this deal straight away, there was interest from Manchester City and Tottenham but they got the deal done.

“From day one Newcastle have been brilliant. They just took it from there and Kyle is raring to go, and really loving the prospect of what is to come.”

Neil, a north-east lad who worked for Newcastle United for eight years under Freddy Shepherd and briefly for Mike Ashley - tipping the club off to the likes of Aaron Ramsey and Luka Modric, the latter he feels Scott shares a football resemblance with.

And it was back when Scott was nine-years-of-age that his journey to Newcastle first started - when Neil brought him up to Tyneside. United were impressed, Scott being pictured with the likes of Michael Owen and Peter Beardsley, before Chelsea, pinched them to the signing.

Then in 2015, Scott was on the lips - or keyboards - of Newcastle United fans having stolen show in Chelsea’s 3-0 win in the FA Youth Cup at St James’ Park.

“He came up here and he won the game for Chelsea with a pass for Tammy Abraham,” explained Neil.

“He really did stand out. Afterwards, on social media, he had so many comments from Geordie fans - 400 comments, telling him to come and play for Newcastle. That was fantastic for Kyle and stuck with him.”

Scott’s arrival was officially confirmed on Monday, and he was thrown straight into the U23 squad for the clash against Rotherham - despite having not played for nearly eight months.