Newcastle have launched an investigation after an allegation of bullying was made against Peter Beardsley, coach of their under-23s.
The 22-year-old midfielder Yasin Ben El-Mhanni has lodged a complaint against the former Newcastle and England striker. The club is not commenting on the matter but a grievance meeting has been scheduled.
Beardsley, 56, made more than 300 appearances for Newcastle in two spells and was capped 59 times by his country during a glittering playing career which also took him to Liverpool and Everton, among others.
It is not the first time he has found himself at the centre of claims of unfair treatment during his time working with Newcastle’s youth players.
In 2003, he and the academy director, Kenny Wharton, were cleared after an FA Premier League inquiry dismissed allegations of bullying made by youth players James Beaumont and Ross Gardner.
He left the club in 2006 but having returned in an ambassadorial role following Mike Ashley’s takeover was appointed as an academy coach once again in 2009.
El-Mhanni rose to prominence after establishing himself as an internet sensation with his freestyle skills, and he has doubled for Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar in television adverts. He began his professional career at Barnet before joining Newcastle during the summer of 2016, and has made two senior appearances, both of them in last season’s FA Cup as manager Rafael Benítez rested his first-team players.