Newcastle United are reportedly interested in signing 18-year-old Brazilian attacking prodigy Giovani, who has a €60 million release clause.
Newcastle United have joined the race to sign Brazilian teenage sensation Giovani. That’s according to ESPN Brazil, who claim the Magpies are one of several European clubs keeping tabs on the 18-year-old Palmeiras winger.
Despite the incredible wealth of their new owners, Newcastle United have taken a spendthrift path in the summer transfer window so far. The acquisitions of goalkeeper Nick Pope, Sven Botman, and Matt Targett on a permanent basis got them off to a flying start.
But as the emphasis has turned to fresh attacking reinforcements, the prospect of getting in new arrivals has faded in recent weeks, with Newcastle wary of overspending for their targets. While they have endured frustration after frustration on that front, the Toon chiefs have remained keen to sign several new stars for the youth ranks at the same time.
The Tyneside outfit have already bolstered their academy ranks with the additions of Alex Murphy from Galway United, Charlie McArthur from Kilmarnock, and Jordan Hackett from Tottenham Hotspur. Newcastle now turn their attention towards scouting South American prospects, as shown by their recent links with Angelo Gabriel. And Palmeiras starlet Giovani has been linked with a switch to St. James’ Park.
Newcastle’s head of recruitment, Steve Nickson, has been quite active in discovering under-the-radar talent in South America. And now that the Magpies have the resources to compete with the big guns for youth targets, their chances of unearthing a hidden gem have increased significantly.
Giovani, for one, broke into Palmeiras’s first team in January of this year and has since earned considerable senior experience at the Brazilian club, appearing in 19 games and scoring and assisting once each. The 18-year-old was the driving force behind Palmeiras’s Under-20s Copinha 2022 victory, dazzling with his explosive acceleration, superb dribbling ability, and tactical intelligence.
Likened to former Palmeiras graduate Gabriel Jesus thanks to his versatility, Giovani has garnered interest from a host of European clubs, including Bayer Leverkusen and Ajax, with the latter previously having a €12 million bid rejected. The Brazilian prodigy has recently recovered from an ankle injury, which is expected to ignite a bidding war now that Newcastle are also in the conversation.
Giovani would fit into the model Newcastle are aiming to build over time. They intend to host some of the world’s most promising young players, who will excel and have a clear route to first-team football supported by significant investment. This strategy will prevent Newcastle from spending exorbitant sums on the market.
The 18-year-old prodigy is considered to be the jewel in the crown at Palmeiras, who are unwilling to sell their commodity at present and are poised to offer the winger a new contract, with his current deal having a release clause of €60 million. While Giovani may cost a lot less than his quoted exit clause, it would still require a fair chunk of Newcastle’s remaining budget to secure his signature.
Whether the Newcastle owners will pay that much for an academy signing when the first team still requires significant investment in the rest of the window remains to be seen. But Giovani is certainly a star of the future.
