Newcastle United and Liverpool have reportedly held talks with the young defender.
This week, Newcastle confirmed 18-year-old winger Antonio Cordero will join on July 1 when his contract at Malaga officially expires. Cordero was approached by the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona and Porto but has agreed a five-year contract with the Magpies.
After scoring the goal that sealed Malaga’s promotion back to Spain’s second division last year, Cordero has enjoyed a breakthrough campaign, scoring six and registering seven assists in 40 appearances.
United are keen to manage the player’s development carefully, so rather than throw him immediately into Eddie Howe’s first team, he is expected to spend the upcoming campaign on loan at a European club.
Paul Mitchell, who is leaving his role as sporting director at the end month, said: "Antonio is an exciting talent. We're delighted to bring him to Newcastle United amidst interest in Spain and across Europe. He has lots of potential, and the next phase of his development will be for the club to select a loan move that will challenge him and build on his experiences."
Meanwhile, Cordero said: "It's truly an honour to be here, truly a pleasure. I am a person who likes to aspire high. Why not come to one of the best places in the world to do it. It's a big step, and that's one of the reasons I'm here. I'm happy to do it and have a great desire to get going already."
Newcastle United linked with another young prospect
Scouting and recruiting emerging talent is a big part of the club’s strategy and reports in France this week have linked Newcastle to a Cordero-type deal.
According to Le 360 Sport, the Magpies and Premier League rivals Liverpool have made a move for Rennes defender Abdelhamid Ait Boudlal. They claim “well informed sources” have told them Newcastle have met with the player, while the Reds have already sent him a “concrete offer”.
The 19-year-old trained at the Mohammed VI Football Academy in Morocco before joining Rennes’ academy. He signed his first professional contract - valid until 2028 - last July before spending the second half of last season on loan at Ligue 2 outfit Amiens, where he made nine appearances.
Newcastle United have already agreed to sign young prospect this summer
Georgian youth international Vakhtang Salia will officially join Newcastle from Dinamo Tbilisi when he turns 18 in August.
“My father and my agent convinced me that two Georgians played here,” Salia said. “The club has a big history. When I heard Newcastle were interested me, motivation comes naturally. First time I heard I couldn’t believe it because it was big news for me.
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“I think I have to work more to come here. To come into Europe after Georgia it will be really difficult, I have to exercise and work more. It is a big challenge for me. I have this motivation to play outside of Georgia. It is a move every professional player has to make to follow their teams.”
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