Newcastle United are reportedly set to challenge Real Madrid for the signature of Sporting Lisbon defender Goncalo Inacio.
The 22-year-old is widely regarded as one of the best defenders in Portuguese football and has developed into an integral player for Sporting over the last three years.
Inacio joined Sporting's youth system at the age of 11 and has since made a total of 136 senior appearances for the club in all competitions, scoring 11 goals.
The three-cap Portugal international has won one Primeira Liga title and two Taca da Liga trophies during his time at Sporting, and he has also gained valuable Champions League and Europa League experience in recent seasons.
Inacio's rise on the European stage is understood to have caught the eye of a number of top clubs, with both Manchester United and Liverpool said to have been keeping tabs on the centre-back since the summer.
© Reuters
A recent report claims that Real Madrid are also interested in Inacio and allegedly have plans to make an official approach for the defender in the January transfer window.
Los Blancos boss Carlo Ancelotti is said to have requested for club president Florentino Perez to step up their pursuit of the Sporting star due to the long-term absence of Eder Militao.
Multiple reports have suggested that Inacio possesses a release clause in his Sporting contract, that expires in June 2027, worth between €45m (£38.8m) and €60m (£52.3m).
However, according to Fichajes, Newcastle have tabled a €70m (£61m) bid for Inacio ahead of the New Year, expressing their 'serious interest' and determination to win the race for his signature.
© Reuters
Eddie Howe is believed to be keen to bolster his squad in a number of positions in 2024, as he is currently having to cope without several first-team players through injury or suspension during a busy fixture schedule across four competitions.
Centre-back Sven Botman is nursing a knee injury and there is currently no timeframe on his potential return, while Jamaal Lascelles, Fabian Schar and Dan Burn – who primarily plays at left-back – are other central defensive options at Howe's disposal.
The addition of a new centre-back is believed to be high on Newcastle's agenda, with Inacio emerging as one of their top targets heading into January.
Newcastle are also set to step up their pursuit of a new midfielder following the 10-month ban handed to Sandro Tonali for breaching betting offences, and a plethora of players have recently been linked with a switch to St James' Park, including Saudi Pro League quartet Ruben Neves, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, N'Golo Kante and Gabri Veiga.
Newcastle sporting director Dan Ashworth recently revealed that the club intend to be "active" in January and has suggested that they are willing to bring future spending forward if the "right opportunities" emerge.
Oliver Thomas
