Exclusive: Newcastle lead Arsenal in race for Valladolid defender Ivan Fresneda

Jacque Talbot

• Updated: 17 Jan 2023 10:19 GMT
• 3 min read

Exclusive

Newcastle United have touched base with Ivan Fresneda’s side and the player is hugely encouraged by the project on offer, FootballTransfers has been told.

The Daily Mail reported that the Premier League side have been watching the Real Valladolid youngster, and we can reveal that there is an expectancy that an offer may come as soon as this week as Newcastle keep up their ethos of bringing in young talent under the age of 21 years old so they don’t fall foul of Financial Fair Play constraints.

Newcastle have Kieran Trippier as their main right-back but are severely lacking in any backup this season as they press ahead with their campaign to secure a top-four spot. The idea is that Fresneda could come in and develop under the coaches while filling in for the England international.

READ MORE: Ivan Fresneda: The €16m teenager linked with Arsenal and Newcastle

Fresneda, who has become a first-team regular, is also liked by Arsenal, but the Emirates side may be looking for a summer move, or when they can offload Fulham target Cedric Soares, and there is a feeling that this will prove too late to wrap up the signing of the 18-year-old, who is expected to leave this month.

We are told that Newcastle need to sell to keep in line with Premier League rules if they are to bring another player over 21 years old in, so any major signings, unlike Fresneda, won’t be done until some of their reserve players are moved on to greener pastures.

The right-back has a release clause of just €9.9m and this will be met by any club keen on bringing him into the fold.

As reported elsewhere, chief scout Steve Nixon watched Fresneda when he played for Real Valladolid against Real Madrid in December and now contact has been made with the player over personal terms and things appear to be moving quickly, we are told.

Fresneda on the move

Last week, Valladolid boss Jose Rojo Martin opened up about the future of Fresneda, saying that his time at the club could be coming to an end this winter.

He said: “I think Fresneda has few games left with the Real Valladolid shirt. He is 18 years old, but he does things that people of 30 do.

“If I was at another club, I would go for him without hesitation, his data is brutal and you are not buying the current player, you are buying what he can become in a few years.”