‘Lightweight’ Newcastle player will now likely be released next summer

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With all the excitement at Newcastle United right now, you would be excused for forgetting that Rodrigo Vilca is still officially a Toon player.

The Peruvian was one of the final signings of the Mike Ashley era, arriving in October 2020 from Deportivo Municipal. Newcastle spent £225,000 on the attacking midfielder, with the hope that he would develop into a real gem on Tyneside.

Fast forward three years and Vilca is on his third loan spell away from St James’ Park, having secured a late move away from the North East that most people probably didn’t know had happened.

The 24-year-old is now playing in Serbia, having agreed to spend the season with FC Vozdovac.

It is a make or break season for Vilca, as he looks set to become a free agent next summer no matter what.

Rodrigo Vilca likely to leave Newcastle on a free

When Vilca joined Newcastle in 2020, he signed a four-year deal. That means his contract is going to expire in the summer of 2024.

And according to the Chronicle, it is unlikely that he will be offered an extension to continue his career at St James’ Park.

That comes as no surprise. He has not made a single senior appearance for the Magpies, while his loan moves away from the North East have been nothing to shout about.

When he arrived, it was clear that he needed to become more physical. In the words of South American football expert Tim Vickery, he was ‘lightweight‘.

A loan move to Doncaster Rovers was intended to help him adapt to English football, but it did not turn out that way. After that, Vilca returned to Peru where he played for Universitario.

Now he is in Serbia, where he will have to do something really special to win a new contract at Newcastle.

It looks all but certain that Vilca’s Toon career is over and that he will become a free agent in less than 12 months.