Newcastle United have reportedly reached an agreement to sign Vakhtang Salia from Dinamo Tbilisi.
This update comes courtesy of a joint report from Foot Mercato‘s Santi Aouna and Josue Casse on X (formerly Twitter). It’s now understood that the young Georgian talent, who turned 17 recently, is set to join the Magpies next season.
The teenager has already made a name for himself at just 16 years of age, scoring four goals for the first team, including three in the league and another in the UEFA Europa Conference League qualifiers.
Salia is widely regarded as one of the brightest prospects in Georgian football after breaking into Dinamo Tbilisi’s first team.
The Magpies have made sure they’re not only investing in an established operator but also one of the best young players available in the market.
The signing of Vakhtang Salia fits Newcastle’s transfer strategy
The aim is to build a project for the future by acquiring and developing young talent. This has already been indicated by the club’s reported interest in up-and-coming stars like Chelsea’s 18-year-old fullback Josh Acheampong (ipaper via BBC Sport).
It’s unsurprising to see the top four hopefuls pivot towards such a policy given ageing elements within the squad – particularly as far as the backline is concerned.
Between Kieran Trippier (34), Emil Krafth (30), Jamaal Lascelles (30), Dan Burn (32) and Fabian Schar (32), Newcastle have five defenders at the age of 30 or above.
Evidently, it’s an area Eddie Howe’s side needs to focus on in the transfer windows ahead.