According to a recent report, Newcastle United has their sights set on bringing a talented young defender to the Premier League.
Sandro Tonali, Harvey Barnes, Tino Livramento, and Yankuba Minteh joined the team permanently over the summer with PIF and Eddie Howe, and Lewis Hall came on a season-long loan from Chelsea.
Along with players like Ryan Fraser, Jamal Lewis, and Isaac Hayden who were briefly sent out on the road to receive more consistent playing time, Allan Saint-Maximin, Chris Wood, and Karl Darlow were the three senior talents who permanently left the northeast.
The St. James’ Park team has therefore made room in the squad for new hires in January after authorizing a number of departures before the previous deadline. Sao Paulo center-back Lucas Beraldo is one player they appear to be interested in.
The 19-year-old has three more years left on his contract with the Brazil youth international, but the NE1 hierarchy has taken notice of him after he made an impression at the highest level after being promoted to the first squad from the academy last summer.
Prior to the start of the January transfer season, Newcastle, Liverpool, and Wolverhampton Wanderers are all said to have “expressed their interest” in Beraldo, according to Spanish publications (via Sport Witness).
The three players from the Premier League were taken aback by their target’s exploits, which “caught the attention” of his admirers, who also included Benfica, Porto, and Monaco abroad.
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Scouts at St. James’ Park are now thinking about a “promising investment for the future,” but as the outlet notes, it won’t be simple to fend off rival bidders at the beginning of 2024.
The question is about the quality of Lucas Beraldo!
Newcastle could potentially acquire Brazilian defender Beraldo, who is considered a “fearless” defender by talent scout Jacek Kulig. Beraldo, sponsored by Nike, ranks in the 93rd percentile for pass completion by centre-backs and is calm and composed on the ball. He also ranks in the 95th percentile for progressive passes. Piracicaba’s native has scored two goals since his career, demonstrating his ability to make himself a threat in the opposition’s box. Beraldo’s current salary of £770-per-week at Sao Paulo is the lowest-earner on the books compared to the current squad’s salaries, making him a no-brainer for a deal if the opportunity arises. This could be a significant coup for Newcastle if they can beat their competitors in the race for his signature.
