At least three reports from Brazil claimed that Eddie Howe’s side have made contact for the signing, and could soon make a bid for the youngster.

Even though that story came out of nothing, it makes a lot of sense. And we’re here to explain why Marcos Leonardo is a reasonable target for Newcastle and any other Premier League clubs.

Just like most of Santos’ home-grown talents, the striker made his debut quite early, at the age of 17. That’s why now, despite being just 20, he already has some decent experience and that shows in his game.

Over the past couple of years, Marcos Leonardo has been showing how much of a goalscorer he is. First with 21 goals in 2022, now with another 21 in 2023 so far.

The reason why he isn’t in Europe yet is simply because of Santos’ strategy. He had been heavily linked to AS Roma and Lazio last summer, but since the club had already sold Deivid Washington and Angelo to Chelsea, they couldn’t lose another attacker, even though they had promised him he’d be sold in that window.

That was a tense situation because Marcos Leonardo could well have rebelled against the Brazilian side, but he didn’t. He not only stayed and committed himself, but is also saving them from relegation, because despite how bad the team is doing, currently standing 16th in a league of 20 clubs, he’s the league’s second top goalscorer.

The striker also impressed at the U-20 World Cup this year, with five goals in five appearances, and there he definitely drew interest from many European sides.

What impresses in Marcos Leonardo the most is that he isn’t just a goalscorer. His speed and strength make him a dangerous weapon in counter-attacks, even though his height and age may fool some who won’t think he’s that strong.

There’s obviously a lot to be polished, especially in terms of finishing. But if we’re talking about the big talents in Brazil, he’s definitely one of the most promising players coming through, and Newcastle investing in him could be wise, especially with Santos reportedly demanding less than €25m.

The Magpies seem fine with their attacking options for now, and it would be good for the Brazilian to arrive with time to adapt and develop before he’s urged to deliver.

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The Colombian joined the Magpies from Parma in February 1996 and spent over two years with them before returning to the Italian club in the summer of 1998.

Asprilla has told ESPN F360, relayed by Antena 2, that Newcastle wanted to sign Davor Šuker, and as part of the deal, they were willing to let him join Real Madrid. However, the double deal didn’t take shape because of one key individual.

“At Newcastle, they asked me if I wanted to play for Real Madrid, to swap for Davor Šuker. He was going to England and I was going to Spain, but Capello was there and he didn’t accept,” he said.

Šuker spent three years with Los Blancos before leaving them for Arsenal in 1999 while Fabio Capello had two spells with Real Madrid during his managerial career. The latter’s first spell lasted for 12 months during the 1996/97 season.

The deal to take Šuker to Newcastle and the South American to Real Madrid would have likely been pushed forward during the summer of 1996.

Asprilla was a fan favourite during his time at Newcastle and was part of Kevin Keegan’s squad which finished second in the 1995/96 season. The former striker managed 18 goals and 19 assists from 63 games for the Magpies.

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It was reported by UOL that the Magpies made initial contact for the signing and they now think of the best strategy to bring the 20-year-old to the Premier League.

Newcastle’s interest in Marcos Leonardo is now backed up by outlet Premier League Brasil, who add a few more details to this story.

It’s said the Magpies made contact with Santos to find about the conditions for a deal, and are currently in informal talks, with no bid made yet.

The Brazilian club reportedly told Newcastle how much they want and are waiting for a move from Eddie Howe’s side.

According to PL Brasil, the Magpies have had Marcos Leonardo on their radar since 2021. Now they’re aware there’s an agreement between Santos and the player for him to be sold next year, and should take advantage of that.

UOL had said that Santos want between €20m and €25m to get the sale done, so we shall now wait and see if Newcastle will put those numbers on the table.

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UOL writes that the Magpies are the ‘newest’ club to go after the striker, and have already made the first contacts for the signing.

Newcastle are said to be studying the ‘best strategy’ to get Marcos Leonardo signed, and Santos are already aware of the approach.

It’s said the Brazilian club ‘dream’ of making between €20m and €25m with the sale next year.

Marcos Leonardo is definitely one of the big talents coming out of Brazil. He’d been in talks for a transfer to Lazio and Roma last summer, but with Santos agreeing the sales of Angelo and Deivid Washington to Chelsea, he ended up being held by the club.

That’s why there’s a promise that the 20-year-old will be sold once the Brazilian season is over. So even though he could be worth more, they won’t force him to stay.

Marcos Leonardo has 21 goals in 42 appearances for Santos this season. He’s the league’s second top scorer, with 13 goals so far, and that’s a pretty good mark when playing for a club who are fighting relegation.

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The local press isn’t only interested in the player’s betting, but also in the possibility of a penalty AC Milan may get.

TuttoMercatoWeb today features an interview with Ludovic Delechat, who’s a former deputy head of legal at FIFA, specialising in sports rights. They asked whether Newcastle can take legal action against Milan and stop paying the upcoming instalments for this transfer.

“If it turns out that Milan had knowledge of Tonali’s gambling addiction or of the investigation conducted by the Italian authorities, legal questions arise. Most transfer agreements include guarantees relating to the health and behavior of a player. Milan’s knowledge of Tonali’s problems could be considered a violation, making them potentially liable for compensation,” Delechat told TuttoMercatoWeb.

“However, proving such knowledge is very complicated and I don’t think Milan risk anything in this matter. Any claim would require substantial evidence to satisfy the burden of proof in a court of law or arbitration action. Newcastle’s case would depend on proving that Milan had sufficient knowledge of Tonali’s gambling addiction or related investigations. So you can expect that Newcastle will have to pay the remaining amount of the transfer in accordance with the agreements in force.”

For those curious whether Newcastle will need to pay Tonali’s salary during the suspension, Delechat talks a little about that.

“It is logical to question whether Newcastle should pay Tonali his full salary during his disqualification, as he will not provide services to the club. Football clubs have disciplinary options, including fines, but there are restrictions on the severity of fines. Fines exceeding two weeks of the player’s basic salary require the approval of the Professional Footballer’s Association, with a strict maximum limit of six weeks’ salary. Despite any disciplinary action, Tonali is likely to receive his full salary during the disqualification.”

TuttoMercatoWeb also wanted to know if Newcastle could terminate Tonali’s contract if they wish, even though it’s obvious they wouldn’t do so.

“Although theoretically Newcastle could terminate Tonali’s contract, there are financial, commercial and social considerations that mean Newcastle should not terminate Tonali’s contract for misconduct. From a financial point of view, they would still have to pay Milan the remaining part of the transfer fee and would also lose the value that Tonali was expected to bring to the club during his five-year contract. From a social point of view, the termination of the contract based on Tonali’s gambling could alienate fans who show sympathy for his situation.”

Tonali’s contract with Newcastle runs until 2028, so there’s no way the Magpies will be giving up on him after spending so much on his transfer. But it’s clear the Italian media is worried about any backlash towards Milan for the midfielder’s case.

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The Romania international initially joined the Serie A side on loan from Juventus in 2022 and his stay there was made permanent earlier this year. His displays have caught the attention of several clubs, including the Magpies.

Romania’s Fanatik have also had a chat with the agent, Florin Manea, and he again mentioned talks with Newcastle for the defender.

The representative has insisted the Italian club are willing to cash in from his client’s sale after the end of this season.

“Genoa don’t want to give him now, but in the summer yes. If they get the price they want, you realise it’s a lot of money. Genoa want €30m, they said directly,” he said.

“I don’t think there is anyone in Italy who would give this amount of €30m. I talked about the Premier League area, I talked about Newcastle, but they are not the only ones, there are several teams I am talking to.”

Apart from Eddie Howe’s side, the representative hasn’t revealed the details of other Premier League clubs interested. However, Newcastle seem to have an advantage because of their sporting director, Dan Ashworth.

When the latter was at West Bromwich Albion, he signed another Manea client, Gabriel Tamaș, and this deal has helped the agent maintain good ties with the director.

“The director with whom I made [a deal for] Tamaș at West Brom is now at Newcastle. We have known each other since 2009. They are also watching him, but also other big clubs in England. There’s no official offer yet, but it’s coming. It will be a pleasant surprise when it arrives,” Manea explained.

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This season, Xabi Alonso has used him mainly as a defensive midfielder and at times in the middle of the pitch, and he has managed two goals and two assists from nine league games.

According to TNT Sports, Palacios’ form has drawn the attention of several clubs, including those from the Premier League, where Manchester City, Newcastle and Aston Villa are all mentioned.

It’s claimed the Premier League trio are ‘seriously considering the possibility’ to secure his services in the winter market.

Last month, the Bundesliga side rewarded the Argentina international with a new contract until 2028, and this has helped him increase his valuation.

Despite signing the renewal, the report explains that the interest from Manchester City, Newcastle and Aston Villa presents a ‘tantalising opportunity’ for both the 25-year-old and the Bundesliga side to go ahead with the transfer.

TNT Sports makes no mention as to who among the three English clubs are leading the race and also the fee they could offer to sign Palacios in the next window.

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Earlier this month, Tutto Juve stated the Magpies are still in the picture for the 20-year-old and this was mentioned when discussing Juventus interest in him. It was also said the Ligue 1 side need a ‘interesting offer’ to sanction his sale.

Journalist Ignazio Genuardi took to X, formerly Twitter, to provide a short update on Eddie Howe’s side keeping tabs on the player. He claims the midfielder is ‘notably on Newcastle’s shortlist’ for January.

The France U21 international has a deal lasting until 2025 and has made nine appearances this season.

On Sunday, the Ligue 1 side’s clash against Marseille was postponed, but prior to that there were several claims in France stating that Lyon manager Fabio Grosso had decided to leave Cherki out of the squad.

Genuardi adds that apart from the Frenchman, OGC Nice’s Khéphren Thuram is an option for the Magpies in the winter market.

The journalist claims Newcastle are planning to strengthen their midfield in January, after Sandro Tonali’s suspension, and Cherki and Thuram are included in their target list.

In the summer window, Crystal Palace’s Joachim Andersen was linked to the Tyneside club and Genuardi says he’s still a option for Newcastle to bolster their defence.

Non retenu pour le choc de dimanche soir face à Marseille, le Lyonnais #Cherki – qui est sous contrat jusqu’en juin 2025 – figure notamment sur la short-list de #Newcastle pour le Mercato d’hiver. #Mercato #OL

— Ignazio Genuardi (@IgnazioGenuardi) October 28, 2023

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That’s according to O Jogo, who cover the player today amid claims that Newcastle have immediately turned their focus to Neves as they plan for life without Tonali.

They say that Neves ‘dreams’ of returning to England and the Premier League after leaving Wolves for Al-Hilal in the summer transfer window.

The fact that they and Newcastle are backed by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund could ‘facilitate a loan’ in January as the Magpies need to source a replacement for Tonali, who will be out until next season after being banned for betting related offences.

Newcastle are already ‘preparing’ for that, and Neves would be an ideal replacement given his experience playing in the Premier League with Wolves.

He’s enjoying himself in Saudi Arabia so far with two goals and four assists in 19 games, but he continues to ‘harbour the hope’ of returning to the Premier League and this could be a ‘golden opportunity’ to do so.

How a potential deal would be structured isn’t mentioned but the move would seemingly be welcomed by Neves either way.

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That’s according to La Repubblica, relayed by Tuttomercatoweb, who cover all the details of the case today, including what Tonali told prosecutors and how much he bet.

They explain that Tonali told the FIGC “I found it hard to stop betting” and then added, in another passage “I also bet on my teams”, although it is unclear whether that includes Newcastle.

Unlike Italy teammate Nicolo Fagioli, Tonali ‘has not contracted debts’ but he did bet €200,000-300,000 on games, which they label an ‘enormity’.

Indeed, that corresponds to around 10% of his €2.5m salary at AC Milan, which has now increased to €8m a year at Newcastle.

In regard to that salary at St James Park, TMW say he could ‘give up a percentage of the emoluments’ for the ten months that he is suspended.

Newcastle can, in theory at least, suspend payments unilaterally but so far have shown now intend to do that and instead there is a meeting planned between the player and the club to discuss what happens next.

Tonali is set to continuing training with the team for the duration of his ban, except when he has to attend ‘educational meetings’ in Italy as part of his punishment.

His suspension is set to be finalised today and will come into force tomorrow. However, for it to be valid in England it has to be extended by FIFA and UEFA, a procedure that can take months.

The FIGC have planned for this and will extend the ban accordingly and Tonali will still be available for Newcastle as a result, although whether they decide to play him is up to Eddie Howe and his team.

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