Newcastle United are close to completing their first signing ahead of the summer transfer window.
It could be the first of many new faces through the door on Tyneside as Paul Mitchell steps up his efforts to add to the roster available to Eddie Howe next season.
The January transfer window saw Newcastle United lose two practical squad players Miguel Almiron and Lloyd Kelly but opted not to replace them, leaving Howe fighting with one arm tied behind his back as the Magpies look to return to the Champions League after missing out at the end of last season.
Newcastle are close to signing Antonio Cordero from Malaga on a free transfer, the 18-year-old has earned the move to Tyneside after impressing in the Segunda Division this season, scoring four goals and bagging five assists.
- Who is Antonio Cordero? Meet the exciting Spanish teenager Newcastle United have signed on a free transfer
Cordero will join the two young players Mitchell has already welcomed to the club. Kyle Fitzgerald joined Newcastle in January and made his debut for the under-18s earlier in February, the 18-year-old was joined by Turkish midfielder Baran Yildiz who is yet to make his debut but was in attendance for the youth team’s 3-1 win against Liverpool under-18s on Saturday.
Elsewhere, Vakhtang Salia will join Newcastle in August when he turns 18. The striker is seeing out the rest of the season with Georgian side Dinamo Tbilisi before moving to Tyneside.
With Cordero’s move nearly completed, Howe’s plans for him next season have been revealed.
Newcastle to loan out new signing Antonio Cordero
Mitchell will sign young players at Newcastle, and Cordero is a perfect example of that transfer stance being put into action. The winger had attracted interest across Spain but has ultimately decided a move to England will be better for his career.
Cordero is rejecting Barcelona and Real Madrid for Newcastle. If those clubs are after him it’s a sign of his high ceiling.
According to Craig Hope, Newcastle will loan Cordero out for his first season, repeating a move they did for Yankuba Minteh when he joined in 2023 – the winger was sold to Brighton after a promising season in Holland under now-Liverpool boss Arne Slot’s tutelage.
Hope also stated that Cordero has been on Tyneside with his family ahead of a move.
Malaga fans did not take well to the news that their young winger was leaving. Cordero was booed by Malaga fans in November after it was revealed his entourage turned down a new deal on his behalf.
Newcastle’s Antonio Cordero decision aligns with summer plans
Newcastle have sent several players from the first team and academy out on loan this season – most notably young defender Alex Murphy who has been a big part of Bolton Wanderers’ recent resurgence in League One.
Howe challenged Murphy to impress him on loan to be in with a shot of playing for Newcastle more often next season.
It’s no surprise that Cordero will be loaned out next season, Mitchell planned to do that all along. Jack Ross is finding loans for Newcastle’s youngsters per Mitchell’s orders, but there is no confirmation on where the young winger will play on his loan spell.
Newcastle could loan him back to Malaga or send him out to a different club in Europe which would be identical to Minteh’s first season on Tyneside. Fans will hope they actually get to see Cordero in a black and white shirt, unlike the Gambian.
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