Newcastle United are set to replicate the Garang Kuol transfer two years after his arrival on Tyneside.
On January 1st 2023, Newcastle United welcomed Garang Kuol to the club.
He arrived from Central Coast Mariners, after the Magpies had agreed a deal with the Aussie side months in advance. There was huge excitement over the transfer, with Newcastle United fans hopeful that they had snapped up a wonderkid with a bright future in the game.
That is yet to come to fruition, with Kuol enduring two difficult loan spells away from St James’ Park. The 20-year-old is yet to make his competitive Toon debut, while Kuol was denied a third loan spell away due to injury this summer.
While the Kuol transfer has not gone to plan, the premise was correct. Newcastle signed a young player with potential for a relatively small fee, with the hope he would develop into a first-team star and save the club millions of pounds.
READ MORE: Who is Garang Kuol? Height, Position, Transfer, Family and More
Newcastle United strike deal to sign Vakhtang Salia
It is a transfer strategy that Newcastle are now trying to replicate, as they line up a transfer for January 1st 2025.
According to the Northern Echo, Newcastle United have agreed a deal to sign Vakhtang Salia from Dinamo Tbilisi when the January transfer window opens.
The Northern Echo add that Salia, who is a 17-year-old attacker, will remain at Dinamo Tbilisi for the rest of the season before arriving in the North East at the beginning of next season.
Newcastle will have high hopes for Salia
Newcastle United had high hopes for Kuol when he arrived, but he is yet to really kick on in a black and white shirt.
The Magpies will also have high hopes for Salia, and there will hopefully be more belief that he can prove to an extremely smart signing by Paul Mitchell.
Salia recently turned 17, but has already made his senior debut for Georgian side Dinamo Tbilisi. He is a right-footed attacker who can play as a central striker or on the left wing, while he recently scored in a UEFA Conference League qualifier. Sadly, his club are no longer competing in the Conference League this season.
The teenager has been tracked by the biggest clubs in the world, with Arsenal and Manchester City linked with signing Salia earlier this year.
However, it is Newcastle United who appear to be on course to secure his signature. The Magpies are moving fast to agree this deal in advance of the January transfer window, and that is certainly encouraging after a frustrating summer on Tyneside.