According to Mundo Deportivo, Newcastle and Crystal Palace are interested in signing Barcelona wonderkid Marc Casado.
What’s the story?
Well, the Spanish news outlet believe Newcastle and Crystal Palace are leading the race for the 18-year-old, who becomes a free agent in June.
Mundo Deportivo are claiming that Casado wants to stay at Barcelona, although he is yet to renew his terms, causing uncertainty at the Camp Nou.
The Magpies and the Eagles are said to be best placed to pounce if an agreement cannot be found between Barcelona and the teenager.
Casado – who captains Barcelona at Under-19 level – seems to be rated very highly in Catalonia, with Xavi even inviting him to train with the first-team on a few occasions.
Newcastle or Crystal Palace could sign a gem
In our view, Newcastle or Crystal Palace could stumble across gold if Barcelona fail to agree a new contract with Casado.
As aforesaid, the Spain Under-17 international captains the Under-19 side in Catalonia, and Xavi clearly has high hopes for him.
Interestingly, Casado has even been compared to Barcelona maestro Sergio Busquets.
When studying the Spaniard’s game, Total Football Analysis found that he is similar to Busquets in the way that he sits just ahead of the backline, and rarely loses possession.
It seems as if the La Masia Academy starlet could have a big future in the game, which Newcastle and Crystal Palace want to benefit from.
Keep an eye on this saga – if a new contract cannot be agreed, we could see Casado playing in the Premier League very soon.
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