Where are they now? Newcastle’s 3 wonderkids from Football Manager 2015

Newcastle United were coming to the end of the Alan Pardew era when Football Manager 2015 was released 10 years ago – and had a trio of talented youngsters on their books as a hint to a brighter future.

While Newcastle would be relegated just 18 months later, the three players identified by the game as future wonderkids haven’t gone on to do too badly even if they’ve not become the next Messi or Ronaldo.

We’ve checked in on the three talented youngsters judged as ‘wonderkids’ (via FMScout) and checked in, 10 years later, to see what’s become of them.

Jamaal Lascelles

Lascelles was highly sought after 10 years ago as he was regarded as one of the Championship’s best defenders.

Newcastle won the race for his signature in 2014 and, after a slow start on Tyneside, Lascelles was named captain for the club’s 2016-17 promotion-winning campaign.

He remains at St James’ Park and has made 251 appearances for Newcastle – including shutting down Kylian Mbappe during the famous 4-1 win over PSG last season.

Rolando Aarons

A fast, direct winger who would cut in from the right, Aarons stirred up excitement on Tyneside. But recurring hamstring injuries stifled his development and the subsequent perennial cycle of loans quashed his chances in the first team.

He only officially left Newcastle in 2021, which we find insane because we can’t picture him on Tyneside outside of the Pardew era.

That transfer took the 29-year-old to Huddersfield Town, but he was back out on loan again before long, at Motherwell (his second loan spell with the The Well).

Now, in 2024, Aarons is with NK Celje in Slovenia.

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Ayoze Perez

Perez rejected interest from Real Madrid, Barcelona and Porto to join Newcastle in 2014 and went on to score 48 goals in 195 appearances on Tyneside.

He was semi-prolific at Leicester too, helping Brendan Rodgers’ side finish fifth in consecutive Premier League seasons before leaving the Foxes after their relegation in 2023.

You can now find Perez playing in La Liga for Villarreal and he was also a surprise member of Spain’s Euro 2024-winning squad over the summer.

He might not have become one of the best strikers of his generation, but Perez has enjoyed a fulfilling career to date.