Sports Evolve
Newcastle United’s top target has received a transfer recommendation from Vasco da Gama director of football Paulo Bracks.
Andrey Santos is a transfer target for Newcastle and Chelsea, but Bracks can’t ‘guarantee’ that he will stay with the Brazilian club beyond this season.
Newcastle have been interested in the 18-year-old since the summer, and Vasco da Gama reportedly rejected a £17.5 million bid on his behalf.
Newcastle are up against competition from Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona, as well as Premier League rivals Aston Villa, Everton, and now Chelsea for Santos, who reportedly has a £35 million release clause at Vasco.
The teen is the subject of a lot of rumours, which prompted Bracks to assert in an interview that “the whole world wants Andrey.”
Speaking to ESPN Brazil, Bracks said: “The whole world wants Andrey. But he’s from Vasco, he has a contract with us, a strong contract.
“He should go to a South American Under-20 championships [for Brazil], and I can’t guarantee what will happen to him.
“[I hope he] stays with us, this year, in this Serie A project of ours, but he is an athlete who, on the market shelf, is being very targeted.”
Despite the interest, it’s believed that no clubs are currently close to buying Santos from Vasco da Gama.
Santos stated to Globo Esporte in a previous interview: “[I am] happy for everything that is happening. the outcome of a great deal of effort, everything occurring naturally. My manager and my parents support me.
“I know that everything will happen at the right time for my dreams to come true – but there’s nothing for now.”
