Newcastle United are understood to be eager to sign Spain under-19 international Antonio Cordero on a free transfer this summer once the teenager's Malaga contract expires.

Cordero, who also goes by the nickname Antonito, has reportedly refused to sign a new deal with the Spanish side, and Newcastle are now believed to have opened talks with the player. The club could reach a pre-contract agreement with the 18-year-old to see the move go through on July 1, the day he is due to become a free agent.

Arsenal, Barcelona and Real Madrid are also credited with an interest in the attacking midfielder. The Madrid-based sports website Revelo considers the Catalan club the favourite to sign Cordero this summer.

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Who is Antonio Cordero?

Despite only turning 18 in November, Cordero has already made 43 appearances for Malaga. Capable of playing on both wings and as a more central attacking midfielder, he has predominantly featured from the left, where Cordero can come inside onto his favoured right foot as an inside forward.

The wide player debuted for the first team last season, featuring 22 times across all competitions, primarily as a substitute. That debut campaign ended in dream fashion, with Cordero coming on as a substitute to score his first goal for the club, a 124th-minute extra-time equaliser that secured Malaga promotion to LaLiga2.

Cordero's season so far

Cordero continued that form into the start of this season despite the step up to the second tier. The teenager contributed directly to all but one of their first eight goals of the season, scoring three and assisting another four.

That form has picked up again as of late, too, contributing to a goal in three consecutive league matches on either side of the league's winter break. The drought between these two runs of form also coincided with the Cordero's refusal to sign a new contract, which saw the home fans whistling the player during a November match at La Rosaleda.

Cordero's previous free transfer

Malaga, however, seemingly cannot complain, as they capitalised on alleged discontent from the player and his family when signing him from Real Betis four years ago. Their former academy director, Duda, told Relevo during the summer: "We had him on our agenda when he was still a Sevilla player.

"Then he went to Betis, and once there, the possibility of bringing him to Malaga arose. We did everything possible, and we got it.

"He arrived at zero cost. There was discontent from the player and his family with the club he was at, and we took advantage of the opportunity. They told me it could be done, and I said: 'Let's go for him without looking back."

Barcelona and Pini Zahavi

The latest decision to move comes months after Cordero joined Pini Zahavi's Gol International 'boutique' agency. Their clients include Sean Longstaff and former Newcastle striker Aleksandar Mitrovic.

However, Zahavi notably represents Barcelona centre-forward Robert Lewandowski and their head coach Hansi Flick. The 82-year-old, considered football's first 'super-agent', reportedly received around £4 million in commission when the striker moved to Camp Nou while working with the club's president, Joan Laporta.

Flick, meanwhile, hired Zahavi as his agent months before receiving the chance to take charge in Catalonia. Laporta is also said to consider Zahavi one of his closest friends in the game, while there are rumours of an alleged business relationship between the two.