Newcastle United pushing to beat Barcelona, Real Madrid to Spanish prodigy’s signing

Antonio Cordero, also known as ‘Antonito’, is one of Spain’s brightest football prospects. At just 18 years old, he was the hero in Malaga’s promotion to La Liga 2, scoring in the finals of the promotion playoffs.

The forward has now established himself as a first-team player for Malaga in the Spanish second division, bagging four goals and six assists in 24 games.

Although his focus is currently on ensuring the club’s survival in the league, Antonito’s future remains the subject of much speculation.

Indeed, Antonito’s contract with Malaga expires in June, meaning he will become a free agent this summer. Barcelona and Real Madrid have shown interest, given his impressive potential.

In fact, there were reports of the Blaugrana even being ready to offer €2 million to sign the youngster in January, although nothing came of it.

Newcastle United also want Antonito

However, according to reports from England as relayed by SPORT, Newcastle United are is keen to get ahead of both Barcelona and Real Madrid in the race for Antonito’s signature.

The Premier League club’s sporting director, Paul Mitchell, has informed the board of the significant market opportunity that lies with the young talent, who are now ready to make a move.

Newcastle, owned by a Saudi consortium, have ample financial resources to make a lucrative contract offer that Antonito cannot refuse.

The move would also provide him with the opportunity to play in the Premier League, at a team that have made big strides in recent seasons and are fighting for European spots. Currently, the Magpies are in sixth place in the Premier League standings.

The potential signing of Antonito aligns with Newcastle’s new recruitment strategy, focusing on acquiring the most talented young players from across Europe.

The Premier League outfit have already secured the signings of Georgian prospect Vakhtang Salia and Turkish talent Baran Yildiz. Now, Antonio appears to be next on their agenda.

Should Antonito choose to remain in Spain, Barcelona would have the upper hand, given the Blaugrana are known for promoting young talent.

In contrast, Real Madrid tend to offer fewer opportunities to emerging stars, even with high-profile signings like Arda Guler and Endrick.