Newcastle United are keen on signing 21-year-old Sporting CP defender Goncalo Inacio amidst interest from Liverpool.
According to a report by Football Insider, Newcastle United would love to have Goncalo Inacio in their ranks ahead of next season. The 21-year-old defender has put in some impressive performances over the past 18 months, and he is on the radar of multiple clubs from across Europe.
Inacio has come through the ranks at Sporting. He was promoted to their first team back in the summer of 2020 and has not looked back since. Despite being just 21, the Portuguese international has already made 122 appearances for their first team.
As far as the recently-concluded season is concerned, Inacio featured in 52 matches in all competitions and was on the pitch for almost 4,000 minutes. He even managed to score four goals and had three assists to his name.
The 21-year-old has been putting in impressive performances in the defence over the past two seasons. He can play on either side of a two-man defensive paring and can even chip in as a full-back. As a result, there is a lot of interest in his services.
Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool are one of the clubs that are keen on having him in their ranks. Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk are the only two defenders that the German manager has complete trust in, and he is looking for someone who can provide cover for them and even start alongside either of them when needed.
Inacio has all the qualities needed to fit into the Liverpool system. However, it won’t be that easy for the Merseyside club to acquire his services as Newcastle United are also keen on having him in their ranks.
The Magpies had an exceptional 2022/23 season, they finished fourth in the Premier League and managed to secure Champions League football for the 2023-24 season. Eddie Howe is now looking to build on it by signing players needed to be competitive in both competitions.
They have already signed Sandro Tonali from AC Milan and are now looking to push for Inacio. Howe seeks more defensive stability and he believes the 21-year-old’s arrival can help their cause. Adding Inacio into the mix with Sven Botman, Dan Burn, Fabian Schar and Jamaal Lascelles will surely give the Magpies boss quite a few options to work with.
