Newcastle United sent a scout to Portugal this week to watch Sporting Club de Portugal’s Gonçalo Inácio in action against Juventus.
That’s according to Record, who say a Newcastle scout was in the stands to watch the defender ahead of a possible move this summer.
They explain that the Magpies have had the player on their list of possible targets ‘for some time’ and he is on the shortlist of potential reinforcements for Eddie Howe’s defence.
At the moment Sporting do not want to sell a player they consider a jewel but their need for money in the summer could change that stance.
Their failure to qualify for the semi-finals of the Europa League, and the increasing likelihood they won’t qualify for the Champions League next season, means they need to bring in money.
Thus, they could be ‘willing to negotiate’ for Inácio in the next transfer window to help compensate for the gap in their finances.
That is something Newcastle may take advantage of and sent a scout to their clash with Juventus with ‘instructions’ to watch the defender’s performance as improving their defence is a ‘priority’ in the summer.
At the moment there is no mention of an asking price or what the Magpies would be willing to spend, just that they recently scouted Inácio as part of their long-standing interest in the 21-year-old.
