Newcastle have been linked with a plethora of talented youngsters over the past few months. The majority of them hail from talent-rich Brazil. Yet another name has emerged as a potential target in Flamengo teenager Matheus Franca.
Brazilian outlet TNT Sports has named the Magpies along with Crystal Palace and Germany’s Bayer Leverkusen as the lead chasers for the versatile youngster. Franca can play in the midfield, on either wing, or as a center-forward though is primarily a playmaker.
Franca made 23 appearances last term for Flamengo scoring 6 goals. While he made a few appearances last season, he became a regular in the first team in September making 13 consecutive league appearances.
Franca’s name has hit the headlines as an emerging talent for a few years now. The 18-year-old was heavily linked with Real Madrid last year while Manchester City’s interest has also been reported.
Flamengo were quick to tie their prized asset down once top clubs began circling. He signed his current contract, which has a release clause that exceeds £80m, when he turned 17.
Fabrizio Romano reported on Friday that negotiations from two unnamed Premier League clubs have begun but are not yet advanced. The fee being discussed is in the £15-20m range.
Newcastle are also reported to be in discussions for Vasco da Gama’s Andrey Santos and Velez Sarsfield’s Maximo Perrone. They are both deep-lying midfielders while Franca is more of attacking player.
Hopefully, a breakthrough can be found for at least one of these talented youngsters can be reached before the winter window opens. Newcastle have already added young Australian Garang Kuol for January.
Kuol starts on the bench today as Australia takes on Tunisia in a critical Group D battle. The Aussies lost to France in their opening match while Tunisia battled Denmark to a surprising scoreless draw.
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107 comments so far
Raj of Hailsley
Nov 26, 2022 at 9:49 AM
Comment #1Well last night was the perfect result for those who couldn’t wait to whine after being prevented from doing so on Tuesday afternoon. We’re not out so that kept them just on the side of being satisfied, but the shite result gave them all the ammo they need to whinge about Southgate and England in general. That decent performance and result against Iran must have been maddening!
niafron
Nov 26, 2022 at 10:04 AM
Comment #20k so, Tunisia vs Australia, both teams need a win.
DrGloom
Nov 26, 2022 at 10:08 AM
Comment #3Jail, think everyone was expecting a big win against Iran , a tighter win against u.s.a and Wales – it was the lack of desire, creativity and what looked like playing for a draw that people whinged about .. a total waste of two hours of our time watching that shitshow … its called the entertainment business after all
Davas
Nov 26, 2022 at 10:09 AM
Comment #4Don’t think it’s a case of people being fickle or whinging for no reason. I didn’t watch the Iran game as I had something more important going on but it sounded like we played the way these players are capable of playing. However, last night it looked like Southgate reverted to type and played ultra cautious not to lose, even playing 2 DMs in the 2nd half. If pulisic’s shot had been 6 inches lower it could have been a disaster.
DrGloom
Nov 26, 2022 at 10:10 AM
Comment #5Hopefully Kuol gets on today and grabs himself a goal
Munster Mag
Nov 26, 2022 at 10:23 AM
Comment #6Jail, unlike you to start an argument! 🙂
That looks to me like an effort to bait Check the Toastie.
Raj of Hailsley
Nov 26, 2022 at 10:24 AM
Comment #7Davas,
We were woeful, a lack of passion, plan or any idea. It was terrible to watch. Claiming it is a fookin disaster is another level altogether. It was hopefully a wake up call and we cruise past Wales as easily as we should.
Not another deJong
Nov 26, 2022 at 10:25 AM
Comment #8niafron
You may well be right, there was definitely a lack of something. I think USA played well for themselves, which probably also had an effect on the English team and in contrast to the previous match. Judging by the highlights from their last match, the Welsh should not be too much of a challenge. But no doubt we will make it one.
Raj of Hailsley
Nov 26, 2022 at 10:26 AM
Comment #9Munster,
We don’t all think like you, I’m posting in response to catchy somehow managing to shoehorn Rafa Benitez in to the convo and claiming last night was a national disaster. We played shite and hopefully we’ll address it.
Munster Mag
Nov 26, 2022 at 10:28 AM
Comment #10Jane, how did your 5-0 prediction work out for you?
Raj of Hailsley
Nov 26, 2022 at 10:29 AM
Comment #11Munster Mag,
Now that’s deliberately inflammatory and you know fine well how her 5-0 prediction worked out just as you know how my 3-0 did.
stan anderson
Nov 26, 2022 at 10:29 AM
Comment #12Last night was England doing what they normally do. Build up all our hopes and then knocking us back down again.
Normal service is resumed
We will qualify but thats when the real teams come in to it.
France,Brazil ,Spain will spank us.
Munster Mag
Nov 26, 2022 at 10:30 AM
Comment #13Nonsense, it was a direct hit at CTT because he slated Southgate and you were arguing with him earlier in the week re same.
niafron
Nov 26, 2022 at 10:30 AM
Comment #14@Not another Dejong
Still plenty of talent in this team and this time, the world cup do not occur at the end of an exhausting PL season.
Perhaps the best chance to win it you had since a while… so i hope you will not waste it with bad decisions.
Ace50
Nov 26, 2022 at 10:33 AM
Comment #15Thanks for link on previous Niafron. I got goosebumps listening to it.
Munster Mag
Nov 26, 2022 at 10:33 AM
Comment #16Of course I’m taking the Michael out of Jane, we don’t need you to explain it, ta very much.
Predicting a 5-0 against the USA was pretty optimistic and silly.
Ace50
Nov 26, 2022 at 10:36 AM
Comment #17On last night, I just cannot understand why subs aren’t made earlier, and why Foden is not used. Foden is a key player for MannCity who have dominated over past few years, and we think he isn’t the right person to start / come on. Unless he is injured, that’s just bemusing. Also, I think Wilson would have changed the dynamic had he come on with 20 to go. That’s not being biased. Rashford did a bit, but the rest were so lethargic
catchy in norway
Nov 26, 2022 at 10:37 AM
Comment #18Jail,
Do you think that in a winner takes all competition you should take it easy against some teams?
I’m not saying the USA are a bad team, but player for player we are a better team, we should be going after teams like the USA for 90 mins. If he thought that the USA would be a different test, why pick the same team? That squad is meant to be our best players. It seemed to me that the woke Chief is out of his depth and he picks based on who he feels sorry for the most trying to prove a point.
Harry Kane was shocking, and a lot of it is not his fault, we had not threat up front because he spends most of his time in MF.
The game was crying out for Grealish Foden Wilson, but no we got Grealish Henderson Rashford.
You can make 5 subs, we make 3?
He is not a tactical manager, if he was he would have seen early on that the set up was wrong and made changes, but like Rafa, he makes subs at 70+ mins unless forced to, and it’s usually predictable.
Wilson is more in form than Rashford, that not just black and white eyes.
catchy in norway
Nov 26, 2022 at 10:37 AM
Comment #19Sorry I meant 3 subs
Munster Mag
Nov 26, 2022 at 10:39 AM
Comment #20On a serious level assuming it wasn’t the players being arrogant and thinking they could walk it like some of the fans did, you have to wonder about Southgate’s thinking and optimism levels. I think he deserves credit for your tournament performances before, but it’s hard to understand why he can be so positive in one game, but so cautious in another. I guess the simple reason is an over cautious mentality.
DrGloom
Nov 26, 2022 at 10:39 AM
Comment #21Obviously it would take a complete disaster for England not to get through group … they are probably going to be a bore fest from now on though as per usual – may as well put Steve Bruce in charge
Ace50
Nov 26, 2022 at 10:40 AM
Comment #22Also, interesting stat last night at half time: ‘Total forced turnovers’ – only Tripps (out of England team) in top 3. He didn’t have a great game but Saka in front of him, and Stones just next to him, and Rice in the middle, aren’t exactly an Almiron, Schar, and Bruno 🙂
Fenham to Chalfont
Nov 26, 2022 at 10:43 AM
Comment #23Before the game I went for a 2:0 as I know the USA are definitely no mugs and would have most definitely upped their game levels as it was against us.
We made a decent start which I posted, then the USA (similar to Canada done against Belgium) played with a high line, high tempo press, with tenacity and intensity (sound familiar). The USA were running us ragged and had us defending deep with no tempo to our game at all. There were huge gaps all over the pitch where teams like Spain, Brazil or France would have really damaged us.
Maguire was MoTM for England last night which says it all really. Kane might has well been a DMF player he played that deep last night. Foden should have started, or at least brought on around the 50min mark when it was abundantly clear we were getting over ran. Grealish was brought on too late also.
It will be interesting to see which England turn up against Wales. The team that defeated Iran or the lacklustre USA team with zero tempo ?
Root cause of last night was the tactics were all wrong, it really looked like an old NUFC team (under Rafa) with a squad of championship level players grinding out a draw against an EPL top 8 side. That was the feeling I got last night. Don’t get me wrong I loved Rafa he give me hope but had to use similar tactics as to what Southgate deployed last night? Wtf was Southgate doing using such tactics with the players at his disposal against a team we should beat easily if we played with the same tenacity and intensity as the USA did last night.
Yes Southgate got it massively wrong last night and must sap the energy out of that group of players setting them up in such a way playing for a draw.
Well done to the USA though, they were a great watch. Lots of energy, intensity and passion in their play. They deserved the win IMO
Munster Mag
Nov 26, 2022 at 10:44 AM
Comment #24Catchy I wouldn’t like to be near you if England got the Rafasaurus as manager 🙂
Toon fans bad
Nov 26, 2022 at 10:44 AM
Comment #25He won’t drop Kane though will he, don’t think anyone would.
Just a bad day at the office for the team.
When Maddison is fit could be crucial to how far we get.
Anyway, more Carling required 😆
Romford mag
Nov 26, 2022 at 10:48 AM
Comment #26USA were up for it and we weren’t for what ever reason?
Davas
Nov 26, 2022 at 10:49 AM
Comment #27I also thought he should have brought Wilson on. It would have given Trippier someone to aim for as I think Trips suffered because of the lack of movement in front of him.
Raj of Hailsley
Nov 26, 2022 at 10:53 AM
Comment #28Munster,
You’ve got absolutely no right to decide who my post was directed at, that is just unnecessary shit stirring. It was not a pop at ctt at all, if it was I would have addressed him.
Raj of Hailsley
Nov 26, 2022 at 10:56 AM
Comment #29“USA were up for it and we weren’t for what ever reason?”
In a nutshell!
Davas
Nov 26, 2022 at 10:57 AM
Comment #30Jail From earlier,
Yeah, it was all if those things. Don’t think it was a disaster, as we’re more or less through, but it could have been if Pulisic had scored, so just grateful that we are through. (Virtually)
Davas
Nov 26, 2022 at 11:05 AM
Comment #31Not sure why Rafa is brought up when discussing an England game but I’m pretty sure if he’d had players of that quality at Newcastle then we would have seen much better football then.
lochinvar
Nov 26, 2022 at 11:07 AM
Comment #32Bad day at the office ?
Nah, a whole International Team and Coaches don’t just have a ‘bad day at the office’
That was shoddy workmanship all round.
Unless Southgate aka Bruce had told them to hang in there for a point and not to loose.
Perhaps they were conserving energy ?
catchy in norway
Nov 26, 2022 at 11:07 AM
Comment #33Fenham
Spot on.
Munster, im not an England fan, Our FA are as corrupt as FIFA and UEFA.
OUR FA dont pick winners, they pick people they can control and tell who to pick.
Mort
Nov 26, 2022 at 11:08 AM
Comment #34Raj is full of energy. Must be burning off all them Domino pizza he ate last night.
Dominooooo-oo-oo
Nols
Nov 26, 2022 at 11:09 AM
Comment #35Best for the team would be to finish top 4, because the champions league is where the money is. Winning somerhing can wait a year or so
Mort
Nov 26, 2022 at 11:10 AM
Comment #36England are hard to concede against. So I wouldn’t worry until they are actually losing in a knock out game.
Assassins Inc
Nov 26, 2022 at 11:12 AM
Comment #37The issue with the England team is you don’t know which one will turn up.
It doesn’t matter on paper who is in this league and who is in that one, when playing for your country you up your game.
USA did this. Now if we can’t beat Wales then England don’t deserve to be in this tournament.
catchy in norway
Nov 26, 2022 at 11:13 AM
Comment #38DAVAS
are you sure, RAFA had Madrid Milan and Napoli Liverpool and played really poor football. at Liverpool he played more long balls than any other team 4 years in a row, much much worse than the like of Pulis, big Sam, mark hughes.
https://www.premierleague.com/stats/top/clubs/total_long_balls?se=16
it is not football.
Munster Mag
Nov 26, 2022 at 11:16 AM
Comment #39I think your post was a general provocation at him as it is central to your disagreement with him on Southgate. Just an observation. If it’s incorrect, you’ve no need to get so narky and defensive.
lochinvar
Nov 26, 2022 at 11:19 AM
Comment #40Fiasco for the fans
https://www.newcastleworld.com/sport/football/newcastle-united/geordies-demand-refunds-after-nx-newcastle-world-cup-fanzone-chaos-3932510