Newcastle United are reportedly interested in signing Real Betis forward Luiz Henrique, with the Brazilian having a release clause worth €100m (£88m).
According to ABC de Sevilla, the Magpies have joined the growing list of clubs interested in signing the 22-year-old, with the report stating that Betis could be tempted to sell Henrique this January if an offer of €50m (£43m) was made in the coming days.
A right-sided attacker who only joined the La Liga side last summer, Henrique has been a regular for Manuel Pellegrini’s side this season as Betis look to qualify for the UEFA Champions League for the first time since 2005, with the winger making 24 appearances in all competitions.
Whilst Henrique’s record of three goals and five assists isn’t too impressive given how much the forward has played this season, the Brazilian has certainly caught the eye of English clubs, with Newcastle now the latest to register an interest in the South American talent.
Indeed, Newcastle have become something of an appealing club to Brazilian players in the last 12 months under Eddie Howe, with Joelinton establishing himself as one of the Magpies’ most important players and Bruno Guimaraes flourishing in England since moving from France last January.
And given that Newcastle are in the market for an attacker this month, Henrique could be an ideal option for the Magpies, especially with Betis stating that they’re willing to sell the youngster for under half his original release clause.
Newcastle should wait until the summer to sign Henrique
Henrique has shown a lot of promise in his first year in Europe with Betis. Yet the numbers don’t lie. Output is something the Brazilian has to add to his game in the second half of the season, which is why Newcastle would be smart to wait until the summer to move for the youngster.
Whilst Henrique has impressed in many areas outside of goalscoring and assisting, the winger has to take his game to the next level if a club like Newcastle is to spend a hefty sum to bring the talented South American to the Premier League, with a move in the summer a likely option for the Magpies.
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