Player tells Newcastle he wants to sign as Paul Mitchell beats Arsenal to another deal

Following official confirmation that we’d agreed a deal to sign Vakhtang Salia, it emerged that Newcastle United had fended off interest from Arsenal to sign the Georgian forward.

A few months later, it seems Paul Mitchell has played a key role in securing two more teenage talents, with one set to arrive despite heavyweight competition.

Turkish youngster Baran Yildiz has already signed, but the latest looks set to swap Spain for St James’ Park after picking Newcastle over two La Liga giants and a Premier League rival.

On Monday evening, The Mail’s Craig Hope revealed that Newcastle looked set to beat Barcelona and Real Madrid to a deal for Malaga winger Antonio Cordero.

Today, after sharing an injury update on Dan Burn, Anthony Gordon and Sven Botman, Hope reports that Cordero has now told Newcastle United he wants to join the club.

He states that official confirmation of a pre-contract agreement that will see him sign on a free this summer is expected in ‘due course’, suggesting we really have won the race for the 18-year-old Spaniard.

This morning, CaughtOffside reported that Arsenal have also been in talks with Cordero, much like they were with Salia, but it seems Paul Mitchell has already convinced the teenager to sign after hosting the player and his representatives on Tyneside recently.

Cordero has been playing regularly in LaLiga2 after breaking into Malaga’s first team, bagging four goals and six assists so far this season.

He is a Spanish youth international, currently representing their Under-19 side, and he can play down either flank, although most of his minutes this season have come down the left.

Here’s a few clips of the tricky wide man in action in the Spanish second tier: