Elias Sorensen does not believe he got a fair crack of the whip at Newcastle United - but is proud of his former Academy team-mates Sean Longstaff and Elliot Anderson for making it big on Tyneside.

It was the 2018/19 season when the Denmark Under-21 international rifled home 16 times in the reserves and caught the eye in the Checkatrade Trophy with a host of goals before being shunted on a hasty loan to Blackpool.

But the move was not a success for Sorensen and while he did play first-team action on the club's tour of China against Wolves and West Ham, another ill-fated loan, this time to Carlisle, saw Sorensen on the road to release from Newcastle in 2021.

Sorensen, now 24, is plying his trade with Esbjerg in his home country, but has ambition to hit the heights again in Europe.

Speaking to Tipsbladet the striker says: "It was not my ambition to be playing in the Second Division in Denmark.

The ambitions were much higher at Newcastle.

"When I played for Newcastle, I felt that I should be playing for the first team because I scored so many goals on the under-23 team, and I also scored goals with the under 21 national team.

My goal back then was to play for Newcastle's first team.

"Rafa Benitez did not agree that Sorensen was ready at the time as a Newcastle outfit that had a limited budget plotted survival in the top-flight.

It was Steve Bruce who sanctioned his release on a free transfer with a loan move to Almere in Holland not paying off and Sorensen ending up at Esbjerg where he has managed to get back on track.

This season he has netted 11 goals in 11 matches and is catching the eye once more in the Denmark second flight.

Back on Tyneside both Longstaff and Anderson find themselves as regulars in the Toon team.

Sorensen said: "Elliot Anderson was the standout player.

He was very young when I was there.

"He played with us on the under-23 team when he was only 16-17 years old.

He was already incredibly talented back then.

When he had the ball, it was absolutely insane how good he was.

" I also played alongside Sean Longstaff.

He has always been good.

He plays in the Premier League every week.

".