Newcastle United have reportedly made the first move to sign 19-year-old Argentine wonderkid Maximo Perrone, who is a cost-effective alternative to Chelsea-bound Andrey Santos.
Newcastle United have taken their first step towards closing in on a deal for Velez Sarsfield midfielder Maximo Perrone in January. That’s according to Record, as relayed by Sport Witness, who claims the Magpies “have their sights on” the 19-year-old talent and “have already approached” the Buenos Aires outfit over a potential move next month.
The Tynesiders are currently going strong in the Premier League and are keen to solidify their position. The Magpies are second in the Premier League table, having lost just one of their first 16 matches, and look to be genuine contenders for a Champions League spot, or even more.
As well as bolstering the first team, the uber-rich owners are also looking to add young, emerging prospects to Eddie Howe’s squad as they look to continue to build towards what they hope will be sustained Premier League dominance.
The Toon boss is keen to add to his midfield options, and Perrone would be an interesting pick-up after losing the race for another South American talent, Andrey Santos. Newcastle were said to be big fans of the Vasco da Gama midfielder, who had been strongly linked with a move to St. James Park for the best part of 2022. But much to the frustration of the Magpies, the teenage Brazilian sensation is on his way to Stamford Bridge.
However, Newcastle would do well to snap up a talented South American deep-lying midfielder as highly-rated as Santos in Perrone.
The Argentine midfielder has been eyed up by Newcastle for quite some time. The Velez Sarsfield man has also endured a breakout campaign in 2022, making 15 appearances in the Argentine Liga Profesional. Despite his tender years, he has been a mainstay in the first team this season and has shown signs of functioning as a tempo-setter and classy playmaker at the heart of the midfield engine room.
Newcastle United veteran playmaker Jonjo Shelvey’s future at St James’ Park has been hit with some doubt following his latest injury issue. The 30-year-old will be handed a one-year extension should he start just two more games in the league, but after a calf injury that could keep him out for eight weeks, Shelvey’s chances of securing an automatic extension are now in jeopardy.
Even if Newcastle ties down Shelvey to a short-term deal. Signing Perrone would give them a ready-made long-term replacement chomping at the bit to break into the first-team picture.
Perrone is also thought to have attracted interest from Benfica and Wolves, and while the Magpies may face competition for his signature, they have the financial backing to blow their competitor out of the race and a proven pitcher in sporting director Dan Ashworth, who has an excellent record of snatching South American talent under top clubs’ noses.
In-demand Brighton enforcer and Newcastle target Moises Caicedo is a brilliant example of that, as Ashworth managed to lure the Ecuadorian international to the Amex despite heavy interest from Manchester United.
Newcastle’s owners have invested a lot in some quality signings since their takeover just over a year ago, and this Perrone move would be another smart investment if they can pull it off next month.
