Newcastle United have reportedly opened talks with Real Valladolid over signing 18-year-old exciting right-back Ivan Fresneda, but they face competition from European top guns.
According to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, Newcastle United have made their first move for highly-rated Spanish defender Ivan Fresneda as they look to rival Juventus and Borussia Dortmund for the Real Valladolid right-back’s signature.
Elsewhere, The Athletic have claimed that Newcastle sent a scout over to Spain to watch Fresneda in action, which was followed up by Spanish outlet Marca, who claimed Newcastle’s chief scout Steve Nickson watched Valladolid’s most recent game against Real Madrid.
The report added that the Toon talent spotter watched the match alongside Fresneda’s agent, Luis Bardaji, and a structured deal could be in the offing that could see Fresneda arrive in England in order to complete the move before being loaned straight back to the La Liga side for the remainder of the season if they sign him.
If the aforementioned reports have any substance to them, then Nickson would have been quite impressed, with the teenager putting in a wonderful display despite his side’s defeat. He was easily his side’s best performer, producing an eye-catching eight tackles and a key pass as he had one of the world’s best wingers, Vinicius Junior, in his back pocket on the day.
Newcastle, Juventus and also Borussia Dortmund are in the race for talented right back Iván Fresneda, as reported last week. 🇪🇸 #transfers#NUFC are exploring new right back options and already had first contacts for Fresneda ⤵️ https://t.co/YYfYyikbN4
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 2, 2023
Fresneda came through the ranks at Real Madrid’s Castilla academy before exiting in 2018 to join Spanish outfit Leganes, before linking up with Valladolid two years later.
The 18-year-old has only made his La Liga debut in September and has already established himself as Valladolid’s starting option at right-back after a spell on the bench at the start of the season.
He has only made five starts so far this season, but his swashbuckling displays have already caught the eye of various top clubs, including Borussia Dortmund, Juventus, and AC Milan. Premier League leaders Arsenal have also been keeping a close eye on the Spanish Under-19 international.
Fresneda has a contract at Valladolid until 2025 and reportedly has a £26.5 million release clause, but that would rise to almost £40 million if they hold onto him until the summer. Newcastle United have now expressed their interest in the prodigious Spanish defender and hope to land the youngster for an initial outlay of £8.5 million, rising to around £13 million, per Marca.
Newcastle are, of course, in a solid position in the right-back area, and with skipper Kieran Trippier producing stellar performances ever since his arrival from Atletico Madrid last January, Eddie Howe also has Javier Manquillo as a backup, and Emil Krafth, who is currently out with a long-term injury, in his ranks.
The Magpies boss is keen to bolster his options at right-back even further, with an eye on the future. As such, 21-year-old right-back Harrison Ashby has been on the Toon radar since the summer and reportedly wants out of West Ham.
However, it appears they are instead looking for a young right-back with a higher upside and appear to have opted for Fresneda, although they have to beat out significant competition from the likes of AC Milan, Atletico Madrid, and Juventus.
