Newcastle United have officially signed Turkish teenager Baran Yildiz from Gençlerbirligi.
The 18-year-old midfielder was spotted attending Newcastle’s Carabao Cup semi-final victory over Arsenal at St James’ Park last week, further fueling speculation surrounding his imminent arrival.
Newcastle have not yet formally announced the signing, however, Yildiz’s inclusion on the club’s Under-21s squad list submitted to the Premier League confirmed the deal.
The move, reportedly worth £2.5 million, sees Yildiz sign a four-and-a-half-year contract with the Magpies.
The talented midfielder has already arrived in Newcastle and was recently pictured at the Hilton Hotel in Gateshead, further solidifying his arrival on Tyneside.
Yildiz’s signing is further evidence of Newcastle’s commitment to investing in young talent.
The club has also recently signed Kyle Fitzgerald and Fraser Harper, while a deal is in place to bring Georgian forward Vakhtang Salia to the club in the summer.
Newcastle sporting director Paul Mitchell emphasized the importance of developing young talent, stating, “Scouting and recruiting emerging talent is an essential part of building a sustainable future, particularly within the current PSR framework, so the market is fiercely competitive.”
The acquisition of Yildiz represents another exciting step in Newcastle’s ambitious project to build a successful and sustainable future for the club.