Newcastle beat Real Madrid & Barcelona to sign Malaga's Antonio Cordero

Newcastle United have won the race to sign highly-rated 18-year-old Antonio Cordero, beating out competition from Real Madrid and Barcelona.

Cordero, who has impressed with his performances for Malaga this season, was being closely monitored by both La Liga clubs.

However, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, the youngster has opted to join Newcastle, agreeing to a move to St James’ Park.

The deal is expected to be officially announced in the coming weeks and will be completed once the summer transfer window opens.

With his contract expiring at the end of the season, Cordero has been free to negotiate with other clubs since the start of the year. The winger, along with his family, visited Newcastle in January as part of his decision-making process ahead of the move.

Cordero has been a key figure for Malaga since breaking into the first team last season.

He played an instrumental role in helping the club achieve promotion during his debut campaign, and Malaga currently sit 17th in La Liga 2.

This season, Cordero has made 32 appearances, scoring five goals and providing six assists. He has also created six big chances and made 22 key passes in 1,690 minutes of football.

Cordero has been a key figure for Malaga since breaking into the first team last season

Newcastle’s sporting director, Paul Mitchell, has placed a strong emphasis on signing young talent, and Antonio Cordero perfectly aligns with the club’s transfer strategy.

He said of their transfer strategy: “Scouting and recruiting emerging talent is an essential part of building a sustainable future, particularly within the current PSR framework, so the market is fiercely competitive.

“We continue to scout extensively, both domestically and overseas, with a view to securing players who can come through our talent pathway and, ideally, become part of the first team in future.”