It is safe to say things have not quiet gone to plan for Rodrigo Vilca at Newcastle United. The Peruvian playmaker is back on Tyneside following a disappointing loan spell in his homeland, with the prospect of a senior Magpies call-up more distant than ever.
Vilca signed for Newcastle from Deportivo Muncipal on deadline day in October 2020 for a fee of £225,000, having been recommended to chief scout Steve Nickson. Now in his third season in black-and-white, the attacking midfielder has not made a first-team appearance and will soon celebrate his 24th birthday.
Vilca's only experience of senior football in England was cut short following a forgettable spell with Doncaster Rovers which was labelled a 'culture shock' experience. This was followed by a chance to reinvigorate his fledgling career on home soil, with a loan stint with top-flight outfit Universitario confirmed in March last year.
