16-year-old sensation Ansu Fati scored inside two minutes of his first start for Barcelona, but the new wonder-kid could have been playing for Newcastle this season.
The teenager was out of contract in the summer, and the Daily Record reported both Newcastle and Manchester United, along with a host of Europe’s top sides, approached the player in the hope of luring him away from the Catalan giants.
The player and his father were not happy with the terms on offer, and were prepared to walk away, before opting to stay at Barca.
And just a short few months later, having had a spectacular impact, the winger-cum-forward from Guinea-Bissau is set to land an enormous new long-term contract at the Spanish Galctico club, according to the Sun.
It is a good sign that Newcastle are monitoring talent like Fati
But the news that Newcastle reportedly made a serious effort to get the player tells you that the scouting team are doing their jobs, and have their eyes on the upcoming top talent from around the world.
If we can unearth some hidden gems, like Fatu, we could be in line to have a future world superstar on our hands.
With the overhaul of the academy set-up at Newcastle, they clearly see it as an area to focus on, and while it may not have an impact on Steve Bruce’s first team plans, it could have a huge impact in years to come.
As long as the scouts continue to identify and monitor talented youngsters from abroad, we can be sure that some of those brought in will develop into first-team regulars, or international start of tomorrow.
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