£25m man thinks ‘very exciting’ player could join him at Newcastle

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Chris Wood has responded to claims that Garang Kuol could join him in the Premier League, telling the Sydney Morning Herald that the Australia international must be a ‘very exciting talent’ to catch Newcastle United’s eye.

Kuol is far from the first highly-rated teenager to emerge on Newcastle’s radar since last year’s Saudi Arabian takeover.

The Magpies missed out on Hugo Ekitike to PSG despite agreeing a £30 million fee with Reims. They were also reportedly willing to invest eight-figure sums in the likes of Andrey Santos of Vasco da Gama and Braga starlet Roger Fernandes.

18-year-old Kuol, in contrast, remains a risk but a far more affordable one. According to the Daily Mail, Newcastle could pay as little as £300,000 for an obscenely talented young forward who already has four goals in eight A-League games for Central Coast Mariners.

Kuol should also be part of the Australia squad for the Qatar World Cup.

Newcastle are about to sign Australia wonderkid Garang Kuol

“I haven’t seen him play but I’ve heard a lot about him over the week or two, with the link,” explains Wood, Newcastle’s New Zealand international striker.

“I’m sure he’s a very exciting talent if a club like us are looking at him. Especially with where the club’s going to go in the next few years.”

Kuol is likely to go out on loan upon arriving on Tyneside, in order to qualify for a work permit. Portugal or Belgium, for instance, feel like two likely destnations.

“He’s a great lad as well off the pitch” explains Mariners team-mate, and former Rangers striker, Jason Cummings. “Which makes him an even better player. We all saw him at the All-Stars (pre-season game against Barcelona). He came on and he was unbelievable that night.”

Kuol left Barca boss Xavi awe-struck after running the La Liga giants ragged over the summer.

“Last season he was a big player for us,” Cummings adds. “Coming off the bench and scoring some big goals. He’s a big-game player, especially for a young lad. And he’s got plenty of years to come as well, which is really exciting.”