Newcastle and Celtic Set to do Battle Over £18m Uruguayan Midfielder Giorgian De Arrascaeta
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Newcastle and Celtic are said to be pursuing Uruguayan midfield playmaker Giorgian De Arrascaeta this summer.
De Arrascaeta has been playing for Brazlilian side Cruzeiro since 2015 after making the switch from Defensor in Uruguay and has since gone on to become a first team regular, scoring 20 goals in 90 appearances. His performances meant that he was gifted a spot in the Uruguay squad for this year's World Cup, making two appearances against Egypt and Russia.
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According to the Sun, the 24-year-old is now keen to make the switch over to Europe to further his career and he has two potential suitors in Newcastle and Celtic. Both Rafa Benitez and Brendan Rodgers are looking to bolster their current squads with an attacking midfielder and they believe that De Arrascaeta could be just the man.
However, securing a deal won't be that straightforward as Cruzeiro are said to have put an £18m price tag on De Arrascaeta. Given that both sides tend to operate with relatively restricted budgets, that could prove to be a sticking point.
#NUFC & Celtic are monitoring Uruguay’s Giorgian De Arrascaeta. He played twice for his country in their march to the WC quarter-finals & is believed to be keen to try test himself in Europe, having spent his career in South America so far. He's valued at £18M. [Talksport]
— NUFC360 (@NUFC360) July 16, 2018
De Arrascaeta is contracted to remain with Cruzeiro until 2021, but that contract was penned with the knowledge that he would be allowed to leave the club if they received a realistic offer.
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There has been no news as to whether either Newcastle or Celtic are prepared to match the valuation, but it would come as no surprise to see if they begin to propose discounted offers if their interest is serious.
Newcastle's transfer record is still the £16m they paid for Michael Owen back in 2005, so their recent transfer history suggests that this one may be beyond their reach.