Antonio Cordero will officially become a Newcastle United player in July, and the club are adamant they will not make the same mistakes they made with a 20-year-old academy star.
After beating the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona to his signature, there is a lot of excitement around 18-year-old winger Antonio Cordero.
The Spaniard has already amassed 60 first-team appearances in his professional career, having become one of Malaga’s key players in the Segunda Division. Newcastle United think they have a top prospect in Cordero after his 12-goal involvement during the 2024/25 season.
Cordero is currently on international duty with Spain’s Under-19s at the European Championships, where he has given Newcastle fans a lot to get excited about. A goal and assist in a game against Romania last week were a sign of what he could achieve in the future for the Magpies.
Amid the excitement, it is almost certain that Cordero will be loaned out from Newcastle for his first season on Tyneside, the same move the club made with Yankuba Minteh in 2023.
With a plan for Cordero in place, the club believe that they have learnt their lesson after the failings of one academy star who has only just found form on Tyneside.
Antonio Cordero points to the name on his shirt after joining Newcastle United.
Photo by Serena Taylor/Newcastle United via Getty Images
Newcastle United recognise their failings with Garang Kuol
After completing a move from the Central Coast Mariners in 2023, it is fair to say that Newcastle are yet to see the best out of Garang Kuol.
18 at the time, Kuol played with the Australian national team at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, but instead of giving him the chance to shine with the Under-21s, Kuol was loaned out to Hearts, where he scored just once in eight appearances.
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It was a similar story for him at Eredivisie side FC Volendam. The attacker played 15 times, scoring once, due to his struggles in their defensive system. Kuol found form at Newcastle last season, however, netting five times in 10 Premier League 2 appearances for the young Magpies, showing that he may have the potential to step up to the first team in the next year.
According to The Athletic, Newcastle believe that they have learnt from their mistakes with Kuol and have implemented a 12-24-month plan for Cordero to get into the first team. Club staff believe he is above Under-21s level at this point in time, but do not want to use one of their non-work permit exemptions on him yet, so a loan is the best move for him.
The report adds that Newcastle are eager to take their time with Cordero’s loan move, and are determined to find a club where he will play regularly, test himself in a new environment, and develop a further tactical understanding.
Newcastle United Antonio Cordero linked with Eredivisie move
Newcastle have made a habit of sending players to Holland over the last two years. Minteh had a season at Feyenoord where he won the Dutch Cup, while Kuol suffered relegation at Volendam.
Additionally, Miodrag Pivas spent a season on loan at Willem II, though he only made five appearances. It looks like loan manager Shola Ameobi will look to send another top prospect to the Eredivisie for the 2025/26 campaign.
Despite their calm approach, reports have suggested that Cordero could sign for Ajax on loan this summer. The Dutch giants missed out on winning the Eredivisie on the final day of the season to PSV, despite being way ahead with just a few games to go.
A move like that would surely mean good things for the youngster, who would be exposed to European football while playing for a team with a passionate fanbase just like Newcastle’s.
For now, Cordero is focused on the European Championships with Spain and their game against Germany on Monday.