Newcastle United and Everton submit enquiries for £10m-rated 'Rolls Royce' England youngster

Newcastle United are one of several Premier League clubs said to be considering an offer for one of the most highly-rated youngsters in League One.

Peterborough United centre-back Ronnie Edwards is said to have several suitors after enjoying an overwhelmingly successful introduction into life in the EFL following a cut-price move to London Road from National League club Barnet in August 2020. After enjoying successful ventures into the non-league game with the signings of the likes of former Newcastle striker Dwight Gayle and ex-Middlesbrough frontman Britt Assombalonga, the Posh have replicated that success with Edwards and look set to make a major profit on the young talent should he move on in the near future.

After breaking into the first-team setup within months of stepping into the Football League, Edwards has gone on to make just under 150 senior appearances and earned England caps at Under-19 and Under-20 level, featuring alongside Magpies youngster Lewis Miley and former United academy star Bobby Clark with the latter during several Elite League fixtures last year.

Speaking ahead of the summer transfer window in 2022 when Tottenham Hotspur were linked with the youngster, Posh director of football said: "That record (the £10m sale of Ivan Toney) would be smashed if we were to sell Ronnie. There was plenty of interest in him before he started playing regularly in the Championship and that interest will only grow further when he plays for England in the summer. Spurs have been watching him for a long time, but so have other clubs.

“There is a big German club showing interest which is no real surprise as they love to take young English players and develop them. I’m not saying he will be sold as we haven’t had our planning meetings for next season yet, but, if he was to leave, ideally he’d go and be loaned straight back to us for a year. Nothing is likely to happen anyway until Ronnie comes back from his tournament this summer.”

Edwards has continued to impress during Peterborough’s unsuccessful push for promotion back into the Championship last season and made 55 appearances in all competitions as any hopes of a return to the second tier were ended by a play-off semi-final defeat against Oxford United. Edwards earned praise from a number of pundits and was described as a Rolls Royce by Leyton Orient manager Richie Wellens after his side fell to a 2-1 defeat against Peterborough in April.

Speaking after the game, he said: "I like them (Peterborough). They are a really good team with a really good manager and a defender who is a Rolls Royce of a player constantly bringing the ball out and starting attacks. I love what they did at the end as well. They won the game, they go over and thank their supporters and then get off the pitch and get ready for their next game, which is at Wembley.”

The likes of Aston Villa and Liverpool have both been linked with a move for Edwards in recent months and TBR have now claimed Newcastle, Everton, Southampton and Brighton and Hove Albion have all lodged enquiries for the young defender.