Newcastle linked to Brazilian star with Real Madrid willing to sell in cut-price deal

Newcastle United are reportedly engineering themselves to the front of the queue to sign Rodrygo, amid claims Real Madrid are preparing to offload the Brazilian for a reduced fee this summer.

The Magpies are preparing for what is sure to be a busy summer of team strengthening. With the club close to confirming their Premier League status for next season, work is already underway behind the scenes at pushing Newcastle higher next season. And Eddie Howe’s side will seemingly have a handsome £100m-plus kitty at their disposal.

Howe is looking to strengthen all areas of his side – and it seems a deal for one Roma star already looks to be closing in.

He also wants to bolster his attack, though their hopes of landing Darwin Nunez appear to have suffered a setback.

Reports in Spain, however, paint a better picture for Newcastle as far as Rodrygo is concerned.

The 21-year-old star is on the periphery of Carlo Ancelotti’s starting XI, having made just 10 LaLiga starts this season. Indeed, he has just 1252 minutes of action in all competitions this season, with two goals and three assists to his name.

However, with Los Blancos planning a major overhaul this summer, the attacking midfielder looks set to be sacrificed.

Real Madrid set their price for star

Rodrygo first moved to the Bernabeu in summer 2019, switching from Santos in his homeland. In a complicated deal, Real paid an initial £36m with a hefty chunk of the fee going to his agents. He has since made 95 appearances in total for the club, scoring 11 goals in the process.

However, the 21-year-old has never quite done enough to claim a regular shirt at the club. He has been vying with Eden Hazard, Marco Asensio and Gareth Bale for a starting spot this season.

Darwin Nunez doesn’t want to move to Newcastle and prefers London

Benfica striker Darwin Nunez doesn’t want to leave for Newcastle and would prefer a London move to Tottenham or Arsenal

As such, Sport claims the five-times capped Brazil star is likely to be sacrificed this summer.

The Spanish paper claims Real are seeking a fee of around £33m for the player – a fee which has alerted a number of clubs.

Furthermore, Sport claim his next destination is ‘highly likely’ to be the Premier League – with Newcastle seemingly leading the race.

Indeed, they state Eddie Howe’s side see Rodrygo as very much an achievable target. Furthermore, the report claims they view him as an ‘investment for the short and long term’.

Rodrygo one of several stars set to leave Real Madrid

This summer looks likely to see a number of players departing the Bernabeu with a huge clearout on the cards.

Bale, Hazard and Asensio all likely to join Rodrygo in departing the Spanish capital this summer.

Bale has been with the club now since 2013, scoring well over 100 goals in his eight seasons there.

There also looks likely to be departures up front too, with Mariano Diaz and Luka Jovic also likely to move on.

Indeed, Real need to clear the decks with a deal for Kylian Mbappe looking increasingly likely.

The France star looks poised to arrive from PSG, in what will be, arguably, the most high-profile transfer of all time.

The 23-year-old World Cup winner looks destined to sign a deal worth an estimated £700,000 a week.

Little wonder then that players like Rodrygo are being touted for the exit door.

Rodrygo’s deal with Madrid expires in summer 2025.

Meanwhile, a new destination has been touted for another Newcastle target in Hazard. As per the latest reports, the Belgian now looks destined to move to Italy.