Newcastle United are reportedly one of several Premier League clubs monitoring FIFA Club World Cup star Richard Rios.
The 25-year-old midfielder started all three of Palmeiras’ group stage matches as they finished top of their group to set up a last-16 clash against fellow Brazilian side Botafogo.
Rios has been capped 23 times by Colombia and has attracted plenty of interest from the Premier League and across Europe.
Newcastle have had scouts in Brazil this past season with Rios making 33 appearances for Palmeiras in all competitions, scoring four goals. His contract runs until 2028.
Premier League interest in Richard Rios
Nottingham Forest, Crystal Palace, Manchester United, Atletico Madrid, Sporting and Porto have also been credited with an interest. But the sheer volume of clubs linked and the lack of any concrete offers will cause some scepticism over a potential move, with the initial reports used to drum up transfer talk and interest surrounding the midfielder.
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A combative midfielder is not a pressing need for Newcastle with Bruno Guimaraes, Joelinton and Sandro Tonali currently locked in as Eddie Howe’s first-choice midfield three. But with uncertainty over the futures of Joe Willock and Sean Longstaff, potential replacements for the duo will be considered, though that will likely come later in the transfer window.
Newcastle are yet to make a senior signing so far this summer with the only agreed deals seeing teenage duo Antonio Cordero and Vhaktang Salia join from Malaga and Dinamo Tbilisi, respectively.
Cordero will join officially on July 1 while Salia will arrive at the end of August once he turns 18. Both players are set to be loaned out for the 2025/26 season.
Who is Richard Rios?
Rios has spent the majority of his professional career in Brazil, barring a brief and unsuccessful loan spell with Mazatlán in Mexico.
He started his career at Flamengo but struggled to break into the first team before moving on to Brazil second-tier side Guarani in 2022. But is wasn’t until a 2023 move to Palmeiras that Rios started to really make a name for himself in South American football.
He became a regular at the Sao Paulo club and broke into the Colombia national team for the first time. Rios has made 134 appearances for Palmeiras, scoring 11 goals.
He is used primarily in a deeper role as a right-sided central midfielder and is known for his ball-winning ability, progressive passing and ability to take players on in midfield.
Rios’ physical profile suggests why several Premier League clubs have been linked with him as they look to bolster their respective midfields.
Newcastle are preparing for a return to Champions League football and will need a squad equipped for the added fixture demand. Last time out in the Champions League, The Magpies squad was decimated by injuries during a hectic Premier League and Champions League campaign.
The club ended up exiting the Champions League at the group stage while their league form also suffered as they ended up missing out on Europe. A lack of European football last season benefited Howe’s side as they were able to win the Carabao Cup and secure Champions League qualification with a fifth-place finish.
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