Newcastle United have reportedly suffered a blow in their pursuit of Brazilian wonderkid Angelo Gabriel, with Santos rejecting their €20 million bid.
According to a report from Goal, Newcastle United have stepped up their interest in Angelo Gabriel and have even submitted a significant offer in front of Santos. The Brazilian giants have, however, knocked back a €20 million bid from the Magpies for the 17-year-old wonderkid, who has also been scouted by Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Liverpool.
The Magpies have a long-standing interest in the teenage sensation, with reports in Brazil suggesting that the right-winger could head to Tyneside. However, they have received a setback, with debt-ridden Santos demanding a higher fee in order for them to open negotiations.
Having already signed Brazilian international Bruno Guimaraes in the January transfer window, and following Joelinton’s success since switching into a midfield role, the Magpies have intensified their attention on scouting rising Brazilian talents in their attempts to utilise their new-found brand in the region. And Newcastle have set their sights on Angelo Gabriel
A product of Santos’s famed academy system, the youngster hit the headlines last year when he became the youngest ever goalscorer in Copa Libertadores history at just 16 years old. Despite being in his formative years, Angelo has already played 75 times for Santos across all competitions.
During the ongoing campaign, the 17-year-old has one goal and three assists for Santos in 23 games in all competitions so far and is already heavily involved in the Brazilian outfit’s first team. Angelo is incredibly flexible, operating on both flanks, as a number 10, and even up front, having already played in six different positions in his young career.
Needless to say, a host of European elites are monitoring the development of Peixe’s latest youth prospect. Contracted contract until 2024, he has a clause in his deal that allows him to go to Barcelona for €35 million, but the Catalan giants do not want to exercise it owing to their well-documented financial issues.
Newcastle appeared to be the front-runners in the race to secure Angelo’s signature, having already made first contact with his representatives. However, as per Goal, the Magpies might have to increase their proposal to satisfy Santos’s valuation. The Newcastle hierarchy are reportedly incensed by Santos’s lack of professionalism in facilitating the negotiations as they did not want the refusal to be leaked to the mainstream media.
That said, the deal is not believed to be dead in the water as the club’s chief scout, Nickson, was spotted in the stands for Santos’s 2-1 defeat to Flamengo, having a closer look at two of Newcastle’s main targets in Angelo and goal-machine Gabigol. It is said that Nickson has flown over to Brazil to iron out favourable terms for the deal for the 17-year-old.
The last time Newcastle’s transfer supremo flew over to South America on business, he returned with Bruno Guimaraes’s signature. Whether he can repeat the trick here for the Magpies’ benefit remains to be seen. But, should the Brazilian wonderkid complete his move, he would not be able to formally join Eddie Howe’s side at St. James’ Park until January, as he will only turn 18 in December.
