Newcastle won the race to capture a young Brazilian midfielder, defeating Barcelona.

Andrey Santos, a midfielder for Vasco de Gama who is excelling in Brazil, will be missed by Barcelona. According to “The Northern Echo,” Newcastle is in advanced negotiations to sign the young star and will try to close the deal in the upcoming weeks. The Catalan club had expressed interest in Santos. The scales have tilted in their favor due to their positive connection with the player’s representatives.

Santos, 18, has been a target for Barça for some months. The youngster had already made a name for himself at the professional level, and all scouting reports were positive because a move to Europe appeared to be on the horizon. Barça met with his agents, Giluliano Bertolucci and Kia Joorabchian, to discuss the terms of a potential transfer because of his role as a pivot in front of the defense. However, Barça’s challenging financial situation hampered their strategy, and Newcastle have seized the chance to move.

Vasco de Gama extended their contract with Santos until 2027, with a €40 million release clause. Newcastle agreed to the Brazilian team’s offer to lower the price if the player stayed on loan in his homeland for another six months, or until June. The fact that Andrey Santos and Bruno Guimaraes both share agents and are on the English club’s roster has greatly facilitated the negotiations.