Newcastle United signed ‘the next Nemanja Vidic’ but Magpies transfer plan yet to work out

Newcastle United are looking to the future with young prospects from around the world being eyed

“In my opinion, we haven’t seen a player with such predispositions since Nemanja Vidic and Branislav Ivanovic.”

As far as glowing references go, those two aforementioned comparisons can barely be topped if you’re a young prospect from Serbia. That particular quote, thankfully for Newcastle United, happened to be said by another countryman in former Chelsea and Manchester United star Nemanja Matic, and was levelled at a teenage prospect they signed in the summer of 2024.

Miodrag Pivas isn’t a household name yet – but those in his home country, as seen above, believe he can be as good as any export Serbia has ever produced. The 19-year-old, who can play as a central defender or at the base of the midfield, has his own dreams of following in the footsteps of former Newcastle forward Aleksandar Mitrovic.

Pivas arrived on Tyneside in a low key move last summer, when first-team signings were thin on the ground for Eddie Howe. The versatile defender had started the 2023/24 season in Jedinstvo’s youth team before emerging as a first-team regular as the race for promotion heated up in the Serbia Prva Liga.

Upon arrival in England, there was talk of a swift loan back to his native country – where he did ultimately return to train briefly due to work permit issues – before it was decided he would be sent to the Netherlands on a temporary basis. Since then, unfortunately, the plan to get him more regular game time has not worked out.

In total, he has pulled on the jersey of Eredivise side Willem II on just six occasions; twice in the league – playing just nine minutes of football across two substitute appearances – twice in the Toto KNVB Beker and twice for the club’s under-21 side. His last, senior, league appearance was back in October in a defeat to Ajax.