Newcastle and Aston Villa are reportedly tracking Yassir Zabiri, a 21-year-old Moroccan striker currently on loan at Racing Santander from Rennes.
On its own, that’s a minor scouting note worth barely a mention. Read alongside everything else Newcastle have done this summer, though, it’s a clearer signal of strategy than the size of the rumor suggests.
What the Reports Tell Us
According to Fussball News, both Premier League clubs are monitoring Zabiri’s situation after he scored a hat-trick for Racing Santander, with his value
sitting around €20 million. Neither club has made a formal approach, and Rennes have given no indication they’re ready to sell permanently.
This is scouting-stage interest, not an active negotiation — worth flagging clearly, since it’s a very different category of story than the confirmed moves Newcastle made before the deadline.
The Pattern This Transfer Would Fit
What makes Zabiri worth watching regardless of how speculative the interest is right now is how closely he fits the recruitment profile Newcastle have built all summer. Matias Fernandez-Pardo, Sean Steur, Bazoumana Touré — Newcastle’s business this window has consistently favored young, high-upside talent over the finished article, betting on development curves rather than paying premium prices for the safest option.
A 21-year-old scoring goals on loan in Spain, available for a fraction of what Newcastle paid for their senior attacking additions, is exactly the kind of value bet this recruitment approach has been built around.
Why Aston Villa Being Involved Matters for Newcastle
Villa chasing the same player adds a layer worth noting, since both clubs have gone through comparably dramatic rebuilds this summer — Villa losing Morgan Rogers, Ezri Konsa, and Ollie Watkins, Newcastle losing Anthony Gordon, Sandro Tonali, and Bruno Guimarães.
Two clubs reconstructing their attacking options from similar starting points converging on the same young forward isn’t a coincidence; it suggests Zabiri’s stock is rising in exactly the market Newcastle have spent all summer shopping in.
Keeping This in Perspective
None of this means Newcastle are close to signing Zabiri, and treating early monitoring as anything more than that would be getting ahead of the actual reporting. What it does show is a club with a clear enough recruitment identity now that even a minor scouting story fits neatly into the picture.
Whether Zabiri himself ends up at St James’ Park or not, the profile Newcastle are drawn to is no longer a mystery three months into this rebuild.
Join the conversation!
Sign up for a user account at Coming Home Newcastle and get:
- Create community posts on The Feed for everyone to read
- Comment on all articles and community posts
- Recommend comments and community posts
- Enjoy a new, improved notifications system
- Fewer ads
