Newcastle United and Real Madrid will have to fork out around €18 million to sign 20-year-old Santos striker Marcos Leonardo.
According to a report by Goal, Newcastle United and Real Madrid are both keen on having Marcos Leonardo in their ranks. The 20-year-old striker has been in sensational form of late and he is expected to be on the move to a bigger club in the upcoming transfer window.
Leonardo has come up the ranks at Santos, he made it to their first team in the summer of 2020 and has since gone from strength to strength. He has featured in a total of 164 matches and has contributed towards 65.
In the 2023 season, he has featured in 45 matches and has contributed towards 25 goals. The 20-year-old striker has found the back of the net on 21 occasions. His impressive performances haven’t gone unnoticed and there is a lot of interest in his services.
According to the report, Leonardo is all set for a move away from Brazil in the winter transfer window. AS Roma wanted to sign him back in the summer, they were ready to pay €13 million upfront plus another €5 million in bonuses.
Santos even liked the proposal but rejected it as they had already sold Ângelo and Deivid Washington to Chelsea. The Brazilian club didn’t want to lose out on three young prospects in the same window. But, they are ready to negotiate his departure in January and will let him leave for a fee between €15 million and €20 million.
While there is a €100 million release clause in his deal, Santos will accept an offer of around €18 million for the 20-year-old as they promised him they won’t stand in his way in the winter. Meanwhile, Real Madrid and Newcastle United are both keen on signing him. They have been scouting him for a while.
Los Blancos do not have many options up top and they are looking to add another number nine in the winter. On top of that, they are always on the lookout for exciting young talents and Leonardo certainly falls in that category. As a result, they are keen on signing him.
The Magpies have recently realised the fact that they do not have depth up top. Recent injuries to Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson have made them realise the need for a new number nine. They are on the lookout for players who could be a great fit for the club. Leonardo is one of the names on their radar and he could surely help them in the long run.
