Newcastle United’s push to identify elite young talent has reportedly extended to Germany, where Eintracht Frankfurt attacking midfielder Niko Ilicevic is attracting attention from some of Europe’s biggest clubs.
According to TEAMtalk, Newcastle is among the clubs linked with the 15-year-old, alongside Bayern Munich, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur. Liverpool, Bournemouth, Manchester City, Barcelona, Real Madrid, AC Milan and Inter have also been credited with monitoring him.
“German sources also linked
Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Tottenham and Newcastle,” TEAMtalk reported, while stressing that “no negotiations are understood to have opened yet.”
Niko Ilicevic is a left-footed attacking midfielder capable of playing in multiple roles within the final third. He has recorded three goals and three assists in six club appearances this season and also scored twice for Germany Under-17s in September, including against England, at the time of this writing.
Sky Germany has also reported that Frankfurt is determined to retain the youngster and is expected to secure him on professional terms once he turns 16 on Oct. 31.
TEAMtalk added that Niko Ilicevic is tied to Frankfurt until 2029, with his existing agreement due to convert into a professional contract on his 16th birthday. Frankfurt has already presented him with a development plan and believes he is close enough to senior football to begin being introduced gradually.
For Newcastle, the link remains firmly at the scouting stage rather than an active pursuit, and Frankfurt has no intention of selling at present. However, the level of competition surrounding Niko Ilicevic underlines why clubs are positioning themselves early and why NUFC would have it hard to land him.
Should Newcastle continue competing with Europe’s biggest clubs for elite teenagers like Niko Ilicevic, or focus academy recruitment closer to home? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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