Newcastle Set To Sign Highly-Rated 18 y/o Wonderkid
Newcastle United are set to sign AC Milan defender Cathal Heffernan at some point this week, and a new report has made it clear how much they are expected to pay for the youngster.
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Newcastle have been busy in the transfer market this summer, spending over €153.2m (£131.6m) on new signings, but they are not done just yet, with manager Eddie Howe recently admitting he would like to make one more addition to his squad, saying:
"You never quite know. You think you’ve got the perfect squad and you get five or six injuries. I’d love one more player, I’d love one personally. Then I think we’d have the ideal depth then."
TNT Sports journalist Nicolas Latini has claimed the Magpies have an "offer ready" for Estudiantes winger Benjamin Rollheiser, which amounts to around €10m (£8.6m), however, they are set to face competition for his signature from Aston Villa.
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Howe also admitted that he may be willing to bring in a new player on loan as we enter the final two weeks of the summer transfer window, saying:
“We may have to be creative. It depends on the deal. It’s difficult because it depends on injuries before the end of the window.”
A deal of that nature could work well for Newcastle in their pursuit of a new left-back, with The Telegraph reporting they want to sign either Kieran Tierney or Marc Cucurella on loan from one of their Premier League rivals, as they are wary of FFP restrictions.
Not only are the Magpies keen on a new left-back, they are also running the rule over a centre-back, with TEAMtalk now reporting they are set to sign Heffernan at some point this week, after impressing during a two-week trial period on Tyneside.
The 18-year-old still has two years left on his contract with AC Milan, but the 2022-23 Champions League semi-finalists are happy to let him leave this summer, should a small compensation fee be paid.
Newcastle are keen to build a strong youth academy by bringing in players who will one day be capable of stepping up to the first-team, with the Irishman fitting the bill, and he is set to link up with the U21 side to begin with.
Who is Cathal Heffernan?
The Cork-born defender came through the youth ranks with his hometown club Cork City, before completing a move to AC Milan, where he made a total of 41 appearances for the Under-18 team.
After moving to Italy, the starlet was dubbed a highly-rated wonderkid by the media, having captained the Republic of Ireland's U17 team, and he has since gone on to make five appearances for the U18s.
Given that he is yet to make an appearance for club or country at senior level, though, it is evident the centre-back is a signing for the future, but attracting the interest of European giants Milan is no mean feat at the age of 16, when he initially made the move.
Having also impressed Newcastle during his recent trial, there is every indication that Heffernan could be a quality signing for the future, and Howe will be hoping to get the deal over the line this week.