Premier League giants Newcastle United regard Roger Fernandes as the most exciting talent in Portugal and could make a £17 million bid in the coming days, as reported by TSF.
Only three clubs picked up more points than Eddie Howe’s Newcastle since the turn of the year. In fact, since 2021 became 2022, the Magpies have 38 to their name, far superior to the 27 accumulated by Manchester United.
You could forgive Newcastle supporters, then, for judging their failure to appoint Ralf Rangnick back in October as not so much a bullet dodged as a heat-seeking missile swerved.
According to The Express, Rangnick was in line for a sporting director role at St James’ Park before the arrival of Howe, and the subsequent appointment of former Brighton and Hove Albion chief Dan Ashworth.
But while Rangnick would never sign on the dotted line, embarking instead upon a doomed stint at Old Trafford, his overarching principles remain coded into Newcastle’s new-look DNA. The long-running pursuits of Sven Botman and Hugo Ekitike showcase a transfer policy in line with the one Rangnick helped introduce at RB Leipzig; Prioritising young, hungry, up-and-coming talents with plenty of room for development.
Will Newcastle United sign Braga wonderkid Roger Fernandes?
Newcastle’s interest in Roger Fernandes, however, takes that approach to an extreme. Mesmerising he may be, Roger is just 16 years old. He’s played only six times in the Primeira Liga too.
According to TSF, however, his tender age – and lack of experience – will not stop Newcastle from stumping up a £17 million fee that will make Roger one of the most expensive players of his age in football history.
The report adds that Newcastle have held talks with Roger’s representatives. Negotiations with Braga should begin this week. What’s more, they are willing to let the teenager spend the 2022/23 campaign on loan at the Estadio Municipal, feeling that Roger would benefit from staying – albeit initially – at a club ready to catapult him into the first-team picture.
“When doing my analysis notes after the game to correct the boy, there was something that I did not understand,” former Braga boss Carlos Carvalhal tells Sky of a player who scored his first senior goal at just 15.
“This boy was doing everything that we had requested for his position (on the left-wing). I wanted to correct something but I had nothing. Absolutely zero. It was unbelievable. I know football (and) this is not normal.
“He had studied his movements in the offensive phase, defensive phase and the transition. Wow. At 15 years old, this was something special.”
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
