Newcastle United have been heavily linked with signing teenage sensation Garang Kuol from A-League giants Central Coast Mariners.
The young centre-forward turns 18 on Thursday and is set to sign a four-year deal with the Mariners according to reports in Australia despite only signing his first professional contract in June. This is clearly a sign that the Mariners are determined to either keep hold of their most prized asset or increase his price tag as Europe's biggest clubs battle for his signature.
Newcastle are not alone in their interest, with FC Barcelona and Chelsea among others also keeping an eye on his progress. As it stands, Garang Kuol does not qualify to get a work permit but after being called up by Australia he would be issued the required paperwork should he feature for the Socceroos in a double-header against New Zealand this month.
A contract offer of £25,000 per week has been reported by beIN Sports, although the teenager is expected to stay at his current club for the rest of the season until January. In light of the recent reports linking him to a move St James' Park, ChronicleLive has taken a look at how Garang Kuol has come to be the next shining light in Australia.
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Garang Kuol emerged from the shadow of his older brother Alou when he took just seven minutes to mark his debut with a goal last December. He became Central Coast Mariners’ youngest goal scorer in the process at just 17 years and 98 days old.
Alou was also an exciting forward for the Mariners and scored seven times in 30 appearances to secure a move to Europe with VfB Stuttgart in 2021. His younger brother has followed in his footsteps and a move away from Australia could also be on the horizon for him too.
Born in Egypt, Garang Kuol and his family moved to Australia as South Sudanese refugees, after previously fleeing Sudan just a year before. They settled in Shepparton, Victoria, and Garang and Alou were spotted by Goulburn Valley Suns at an early age.
Garang Kuol played in the Victoria semi-professional leagues against grown men more than double his age at just 15-years-old. Professional clubs in Victoria overlooked his talent, which paved the way for Central Coast Mariners to swoop in and secure both Garang and Alou’s signatures.
While Alou starred for the first team, his younger brother patiently perfected his craft with the U21s. But by the time Alou had left for Germany, Garang Kuol was teetering on the brink of following in his brother’s footsteps.
That day came in December when the teenager came off the bench to score his maiden goal in a 6-0 victory over APIA Leichardt. His meteoric rise has been nothing short of extraordinary ever since.
He made his A-League debut from the bench in April and once again found the net in a 5-0 victory over Wellington Phoenix. Garang Kuol quickly established himself as one of the deadliest finishers in the A-League and perfectly illustrated his adeptness in front of goal with a first time finish beyond Phoenix goalkeeper Oliver Sail.
The 17-year-old is yet to even start a game for the Mariners, which is incredible considering that he is attracting the attention of the likes of FC Barcelona, Newcastle and Chelsea.
Despite being reduced to appearances from the bench, Kuol scored four times in his first nine A-League outings – averaging 2.48 goals per 90. He was rewarded for his auspicious start to senior football when he was named in the A-League All Stars side to face Barcelona in May.
It was his performance against the La Liga juggernauts that catapulted him onto a global stage. His mesmerising solo runs tore the Barca defence to shreds and the woodwork was required twice to deny him.
His pace and finishing ability have proven a deadly combination. Each of his four of his goals bear a similar resemblance to the other with every finish carefully placed into the left bottom corner with pinpoint accuracy.
Mariners were perhaps reluctant to let the genie out of the bottle, which would explain their decision to play him as an impact sub, but their best kept secret is now being shouted from the rooftops.
After treading the same path as his brother Alou, the teenager has gone one step further by receiving his first call-up for the Socceroos. If Garang Kuol features in either of Australia’s back-to-back clashes with New Zealand during the upcoming international break then he’ll become their youngest player since Harry Kewell in April 1996.
Australia, a nation once blessed with the talents of Mark Schwarzer, Tim Cahill, Mark Viduka and Kewell, have been bereft of up and coming stars of late. The rise of Garang Kuol has seemingly filled that void and a place at this winter’s World Cup would crown his fledgling football journey.
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