Newcastle United in a desperate attempt to strengthen their backline & is insisting on buying Goncalo Inacio from his boyhood club Sporting Lisbon.
The Magpies had acquired the service of Dan Burn in the winter transfer window but Eddie Howe is looking for a solid defender to partner Fabian Schar at the back. While Inacio is just 20, he has plenty of room to develop to be a long time servant of the club. Although the transfer is a bit tricky as Ruben Amorim, the current coach of Sporting Lisbon has termed the U21 international as a non-negotiable asset. Earlier this year a bid of 30 million euros for the young defender was rejected by Sporting and since then Inacio has signed a new deal that will keep him at the club till 2026 but he does have a release clause of 45 million euros. Newcastle United under their new manager, Eddie Howe were in desperate need of a central defender in January with bids for Sven Botman and Diego Carlos getting rejected by their respective clubs, a 45 million euros’ deal looks like a smart investment given his young age and higher ceiling.
Goncalo Inacio – Season breakdown
Goncalo Inacio has been in fine form for Sporting Lisbon this season. The defending champions are currently second in the Primeira Liga table trailing FC Porto by 6 points. Inacio broke into the first team last season and has been a regular starter for his boyhood club since the start of this season. With over 40 appearances in all competitions already this season, The Portuguese Boss, as he is nicknamed, plays a crucial part in his team’s success. Sporting has conceded just 21 goals as of now in the Liga and Inacio plays a major role in anchoring his team’s defence in almost all the matches. In the 25 matches, he has played the whole 90 minutes, Sporting has kept a clean sheet in 16 of them. Inacio has also scored 5 times this season with 4 goals in the Liga.
Eddie Howe will love him
Inacio will fit very well beside Fabian Schar or Lescalles, him being left-footed will complement the right-footed Fabian Schar. At such a young age, Goncalo Inacio has the potential to develop into a far better player while also doing his job at The Magpies’ backline. His 6ft 1 in the frame has earned him appreciation from all over the world. Statistically, Inacio enjoys a better defensive record than a few of the top defenders of the Premier League.
All stats are taken from fbref.*
The verdict – sign him
Inacio might not be proven yet like Botman, Diego Carlos, to name a few but is certainly an exciting product who if rightly groomed has the potential to play an integral part in Newcastle United’s long term future plans. Despite their newly gained financial muscle, The Tyneside club is not expected to splurge a large chunk of money on any big-name signing. The likes of Trippier, Targett, and Bruno, have had some kind of impact in this season and none of them were for crazy money. Goncalo Inacio fits the bill really well should The Magpies make this deal happen.
