Newcastle United are reportedly in talks to sign Chelsea and Barcelona target Youssoufa Moukoko and have made a sizable verbal offer for the 18-year-old Borussia Dortmund hitman.
Chelsea and Barcelona might have to fend off stiff competition from cash-rich Newcastle United for the signature of soon-to-be free-agent wonderkid Youssoufa Moukoko. That’s according to the Evening Standard, which claims the high-flying Magpies have verbally approached the German international with a lucrative offer.
The Toon have reportedly swooped in with a £150,000-a-week proposal in their bid to land the teenage striking sensation in a statement Bosman transfer next summer. If a pre-contract agreement is concluded, Moukoko will become the club’s highest-paid player, surpassing Bruno Guimaraes.
The German top-flight’s youngest-ever debutant and youngest-ever scorer at 16, Moukoko has progressed from a highly-rated prodigy to a regular starter this season and is now hot property with his contract situation up in the air.
The Yaoundé-born attacker has had a superb breakthrough season at Dortmund this season, having scored six goals and provided six assists in 22 appearances. Despite his tender years, he has substantial experience playing top-level football, having made 59 appearances for Dortmund since making his first-team debut in 2020.
The Germany international also created history at the Qatar World Cup as he became the youngest-ever German player to feature in a game at football’s biggest international tournament. His exploits have rightfully made him an appealing proposition for the elite. Not to mention that his contract expires in the summer, with all indicators pointing to his departure from Signal Iduna Park.
The Bundesliga giants have been locked in contract extension talks with Moukoko for a long time now but have yet to reach an agreement. They have been left frustrated by the exorbitant financial demands from Moukoko’s camp in terms of salary, eye-watering wage demands, and agent fees.
Barcelona, for one, are extremely keen on a deal for the youngster and are more than ready to pounce on the opportunity, though the Catalan club are ideally looking to sign Moukoko on a free transfer in the summer.
And while Moukoko’s preferred destination is also considered to be Camp Nou, Barca are still struggling financially, and they are unlikely to be able to match other lucrative financial offers from elsewhere on the player’s table.
Moukoko’s wage demands and agent fees are unlikely to be a problem for free-spending Chelsea. The arrival of David Datro Fofana suggests that the Blues now have significant cover behind Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the second half of the season.
They are also said to have already concluded a summer deal for Christopher Nkunku from RB Leipzig, but Graham Potter may want somebody with natural poaching instincts going forward.
Moukoko looks to tick all the boxes that Todd Boehly’s transfer policy seems to have, with the striker being one of the world’s hottest young properties.
Although Barca and Chelsea had been the front-runners for his signature, Newcastle United have apparently tabled a “huge” contract for Moukoko, and are even prepared to pay a hefty signing-on bonus. Eddie Howe’s side are well-placed to beat Chelsea and Barcelona in the race to secure his services.
Signing Moukoko could give Newcastle United one of the most potent strike forces to dominate Europe for the next decade, having already signed Alexander Isak and Garang Kuol last summer.