Newcastle chief Dan Ashworth is eager to give Elliot Anderson a chance in preseason.

The winger has just completed an outstanding loan with Bristol Rovers.

Ashworth said, "From a player recruitment point of view, it might be that we are after a player in X or Y position. "But it just might be that we've already got one at the club who is out on loan doing well or might be in the Under-23s.

"And if you can have somebody that's looking at all the things together you might say 'We might have missed one here', there might somebody who can fulfil the role we're looking for rather than automatically having to go out and buy a player.

"That's the idea of the job (sporting director), being cohesive and joining it all up."