Ivan Fresenda: Newcastle are among the European clubs keeping an eye on the teenage La Liga talent
Perhaps the last gem to leave Spanish football is about to leave league. He is 18 years old, his name is Evan Fresenda And he dazzled in a setting where stars are hard to find.
He is a right back and his current club, Real ValladolidIt will be open for sale next January for around €15m ($16.2m; £13.1m). He has a release clause in his recently improved contract – which runs until 2025 – worth €30m.
Many European clubs follow Fresnida, and at this point, NewcastleAnd Borussia Dortmund Wren are the most likely to make him an offer.
Dortmund’s chief scout is expected to be among those present at the Civitas Metropolitano on Saturday when Valladolid play Atletico Madrid. After the match, interested parties are expected to submit their bids.
Scouts of Newcastle and Arsenal I have already seen the player in person and met his representatives.
Steve Nixon, Newcastle’s head of recruiting, flew in to watch Fresnida’s game Real Madrid in late December and sat next to his agent. Fresnida played the full 90 minutes as Real Madrid won 2-0 with two goals in the last 10 minutes of the game Karim Benzema. Fresenda was praised for his defensive work against Real Madrid Vinicius Jr.
Fresneda fits the profile of a Newcastle player who is keen to be pursued by the Newcastle recruitment team and believes terms have been discussed with his agent and with Valladolid. Newcastle wants to boost its youth ranks with more players, Like the signature of 18-year-old Garang Coleand they track a lot of young people globally, especially in Spain, France and South America.
The club wanted to sign a young right-back since the summer. West Ham United team‘s Harrison Ashby She almost joined on the deadline in september and is still interested. Leeds United‘s Cody Drama It was also seen.
However, right-back is not a priority for Eddie Howe. The Newcastle manager would like to cover a backup Kieran Trippier – Given Emil KrathAn ACL injury will rule him out for most (if not all) of this season – but he’d rather the money be spent strengthening his midfield instead.
Arsenal have also shown interest in Fresenda, but see the addition of a wide striker and midfielder as more urgent. They already have solid options at right-back Ben Whiteand 25 y Takehiro Tomiyasu24. As a result of White’s reinvention at linebacker, Cedric has dropped out of the side and is looking to join Fulham. The 31-year-old has made just three appearances as a substitute for Arsenal this season.
On younger options for Arsenal, Brooke Norton CoffeeThe 19-year-old, who signed a new deal in the summer, has gained first-team experience over the past year. Credits in lincoln city last season and Rotherham United This season came before he was called up and sent to Coventry City Earlier this month – despite making his Coventry debut as a right winger. There’s also Reuell Walters, 18, who was the only Arsenal academy player to travel on the pre-season tour of the US in the summer, and is also capable of playing at centre-back in a three-man defence.
However, Arsenal remain kept abreast of any developments with Fresenda, as they are with many of Europe’s top talents. If they are to pursue a deal, that would likely include an immediate loan back to Valladolid to allow him to continue developing at first-team level.
For his part, Fresneda wants to rise to the elite level of the game and will look for a destination that will allow him to achieve that goal.
According to a source close to the Real Madrid player, Manchester UnitedAnd LiverpoolAnd WolvesAnd evertonAnd Crystal Palace And Bournemouth All of them were tracking Fresnida’s progress.
Fresenda joined Valladolid’s youth teams in 2020 and has played just 12 times for the Spanish club’s first team: 9 La Liga matches and 3 times in La Liga. Del Rey Cup. He also represented the Spain U-19 national team.
But this season, in his stellar campaign, he has shown confidence beyond his years. The full-back, who relies a lot on his technical qualities, is distinguished by his good ball control and willingness to attack, while he rarely shows weakness in his defensive duties. This is why he has started Valladolid’s last four league matches.
He still has a long way to go, but he’s a talented player who excels in a much-needed position.
(Other contributor: Art de Roche)
(Top photo: Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)