NEWCASTLE UNITED are in advanced talks over a pre-contract agreement with highly-rated Spanish teenager Antonio Cordero.

Cordero, an 18-year-old winger who is comfortable on either flank, currently plays with Malaga in the Spanish second tier.

He has been the subject of interest from both Barcelona and Real Madrid in the last 12 months, but Newcastle’s sporting director, Paul Mitchell, has identified him as a key youth target and has personally led attempts to persuade him to move to England.

Cordero and his representatives have visited Tyneside in order to discuss Newcastle’s interest and be shown both St James’ Park and the Magpies’ training facilities.

The Newcastle hierarchy are now trying to tie up a pre-contract agreement that would see Cordero officially join on July 1.

A Spain Under-19 international, Cordero made his senior debut with Malaga in late 2023, becoming the Spanish club’s fourth youngest player in history in the process.

A right-footed winger who generally plays on the left flank, Cordero has also lined up in central midfield and now boasts 28 senior appearances for Malaga, 24 of which have come this season. He has scored four goals in the current campaign and was a starter at the weekend as Malaga drew 1-1 with Levante.

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Despite strong Spanish competition, Newcastle are hopeful of being able to sign him ahead of the summer, with strengthening their ranks below first-team level having been a key priority in the last couple of years.

Mitchell has accelerated the youth-development process since taking over as sporting director last summer, sanctioning the signing of Georgian forward Vakhtang Salia from Dinamo Tbilisi. Salia will join Newcastle when he turns 18 in August.

Turkish midfielder Baran Yildiz is also set to join Newcastle from Genclerbirligi, with the 18-year-old also having been the subject of recent transfer discussions.

Newcastle completed the signing of 19-year-old midfielder Alfie Harrison from Manchester City last month and have agreed a deal for Irish youngster Kyle Fitzgerald with Galway United.

Mitchell regards recruiting promising young talent from right across Europe as an essential element of successfully negotiating the restrictions that are being imposed by the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability rules.

Prising Cordero from Spain would be the recruitment chief’s biggest success yet, with the teenager’s experience in the Segunda Division in his homeland meaning he could potentially compete for a first-team squad place next season rather than immediately being seen as an Under-21 signing.