At a glance
- Newcastle are interested in Porto star
- Europe’s elite are keeping a keen eye on him
- Newcastle structure issues
Newcastle’s summer plans are beginning to take shape as the club is reportedly interested in Porto’s Rodrigo Mora.
The 18-year-old is one of Europe’s most exciting wonderkids. But if the Magpies are to sign him, they will have to fend off competition from Manchester City and Arsenal.
CaughtOffside claims that Tyneside outfit could look to make official contact with the Portuguese club within the next few weeks to speed up a potential deal, after leaving much of last year’s business later into the summer.
Mora is believed to have a release clause in his contract, which is believed to be in the region of £60-£70 million, which could make him Newcastle’s most expensive signing of all time.
Why Europe’s elite are tracking Mora
Howe isn’t the only one who has shown interest in the young attacker, who has dazzled at the Estadio do Dragao since his first team debut in September 2024 in a 3-2 loss against Bodo/Glimt.
A few months later, Mora received interest from the Saudi Pro League and current Champions League holders, Paris Saint-Germain, but no move materialised. He is seen as one of Portugal’s bright young stars, as he broke through as a traditional ‘10’, where he has impressed in Blue.
Mora is a creator at heart, someone who will pick up the ball and look to set his teammates up on goal. He has the tools to cause any defence problems in the final third.
He has been used sparingly in Liga Portugal, with many of his 21 appearances from the bench. The Europa League has been a different story, as he has been able to showcase his real quality.
He has been involved in 27% of Francesco Farioli’s side’s goals in the competition, and he scored an important goal in a 2-1 win over Stuttgart in the first leg of the Last 16.
Many of Europe’s biggest teams are taking a look at the talented attacking player. The Toon Army will be wanting him to wear Black and White next year.
Portugal to Prem problems
In recent years, many Premier League clubs have brought some of Liga Portugal’s best talents to England. But they haven’t always been able to match their transfer fee with their performances on the pitch.
Viktor Gyokeres and Darwin Nunez both joined the league and were expected to become key players after showing quality in front of goal. The Swede hasn’t been that effective, while Nunez has already left Liverpool for Saudi Arabia.
Teenagers like Geovany Quenda and Fabio Silva have also moved to England over the last decade. Quenda has yet to officially arrive at Chelsea, so it’s hard to paint a picture of him, but Silva is considered a huge flop for Wolves in a deal that cost €40 million.
Questions also surround Howe’s system if this deal was completed. The English manager sets up with a midfield three whose job is to offer security for his team. Mora looks to play on the front foot, which is a different setup from the current side.
Then questions are asked about Woltemade if he is still on Tyneside for next season and how he is affected by this deal, as the striker has suffered this year.
Mora is a genius on the ball and looks to be a top player someday, but this deal might not make sense with the Magpies’ structure. They could look to adapt it to fit one of the world’s best youngsters.
