Newcastle United youngster Garang Kuol is in talks with Hearts over a loan move to the Scottish Premiership side.

Kuol officially joined Newcastle from Central Coast Mariners this month and was in attendance at the Emirates for Tuesday night's 0-0 draw with Arsenal. But the Magpies' plan was always to send the 18-year-old out on loan to benefit from regular football.

A number of Championship clubs were keen on the teenager but Hearts are in pole position with Kuol having travelled to the Scottish capital for face to face talks. He sent Hearts fans into a frenzy when he posted a picture from Edinburgh on his official Instagram page on Thursday morning and was then pictured at the club's training ground.

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Three of Kuol's Australia World Cup teammates - Kye Rowles, Nathanial Atkinson and Cammy Devlin - play for Hearts.

Earlier this week Newcastle boss Eddie Howe confirmed that the Magpies still intended to send Kuol out on loan, despite suggestions he could be fast-tracked into the first team fold on Tyneside.

Howe said: "I do think that for the player’s development, he needs to go and play.

“If possible, that would be at a very good level, with a good club and a good coach. That’s not a decision that’s been made currently, so we’ll have to assess what all of our options are.”

While Newcastle were always clear in their plans for Kuol, club chiefs have a decision to make on Elliot Anderson this month, with the youngster again attracting loan interest.

Anderson was wanted by plenty of Championship and League One clubs in the summer having starred for Bristol Rovers on loan last term, but the 20-year-old played his way into Howe's plans during an impressive pre-season.

However, he hasn't started a Premier League game and interested clubs are again circling. Sheffield Wednesday have retained interest from the summer and Championship clubs are monitoring the situation.

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Anderson has started two League Cup games for Newcastle this season and could get an opportunity from the off in the FA Cup third round tie at Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday evening, a game Owls boss Darren Moore is relishing.

He told the Sheffield Star: “Newcastle are a top, top team.

"They’re an excellent team, they’re in the ascendancy. When the tie was drawn I was pleased, more so for the fans than anything. Two wonderful football clubs, two great sets of supporters and this place [Hillsborough] will be bouncing.

"We’ll dust ourselves down, analyse the Cambridge game, look at moments of the game where we can get better and then we’ll focus on Newcastle.

"Whatever team we pick they’re going to need real top, top performances because they’re playing against top internationals, but as players they’re the games you want to be playing in.”