Newcastle United are reportedly looking to steal a march on Premier League rival Wolverhampton Wanderers for Valencia attacker Goncalo Guedes.
According to reputed Italian journalist Gianluigi Longari, Newcastle United are set to rival fellow Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers in the race to sign Valencia winger Goncalo Guedes this summer.
Wolverhampton Wanderers have been keen on signing the 25-year-old forward, who reached an agreement over personal terms with the West Midlands outfit. But Newcastle United have also jumped in and are in direct talks with Valencia over the possible acquisition of the Portuguese international as they look to strengthen their attacking options.
Guedes, who burst onto the scene at Benfica aged just 17, helped the Eagles win three straight Primeira Liga titles, as well as two League Cups and one Taca de Portugal. His exploits earned him a move to PSG in January 2017 for £25 million. Despite failing to make the PSG first team, Guedes was sold to Valencia for £32 million after a successful loan spell at the Mestalla.
Unfortunately, the investment did not pay off, as he has massively underperformed in the 2018/19 and 2019/20 campaigns, contributing only 12 league goals in total. Last season, though, was a fairly decent one for Guedes, as he produced a return of 13 goals and six assists from 41 appearances across all competitions for a misfiring Valencia side.
Gattuso confirms Gonçalo Guedes is set to leave Valencia: “The club told me they’ve received a huge proposal for Guedes from a Premier League club”. ??? #transfers
Guedes was not called up as he’s set to leave the club. pic.twitter.com/s0CMyFWJlR
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 6, 2022
With his contract set to expire at the end of next season, there has been speculation over his future as Los Che look to get out of a difficult financial situation. Valencia are looking to raise funds in the form of player sales this summer, and that seems to include Guedes. Wolves, for one, are keen on adding to their Portuguese contingent with one of the national team’s most exciting stars.
However, the West Midlands outfit are not the only Premier League club linked with Guedes this summer. Newcastle United, who are on the lookout for attacking additions before the summer window slams shut, have also expressed their interest in the Portuguese international.
The Magpies’ search for attacking firepower has become a frustrating one, as they have failed to get their targets till now. Despite sorting out their defence earlier this summer, the situation is far from ideal for Newcastle, to say the least. They need another consistent source of goals due to Callum Wilson’s injury problems and having seen Chris Wood struggle to find the back of the net last season.
Guedes could be an excellent solution owing to his versatility to play across the frontline. Last season at Valencia, he topped the club’s charts for assists (six) and dribbles completed (72), while only Carlos Soler (62) created more chances than the 25-year-old, demonstrating the creative side to his game.
Having said that, Newcastle will have to get their act together quickly to sign Guedes. According to Fabrizio Romano, Wolves have already made an official offer of more than £27 million for the Portuguese attacker, with Valencia prepared to accept the proposal. It will be interesting to see whether Newcastle will be able to hijack the Guedes deal or will have to move to other avenues.
