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.
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Renato Vilchez, a contributor for The Peruvian Waltz Podcast, believes there was an expectation that the Magpies loanee would turn out to be a 'great signing'. However, injury coupled with the rise of Universitario's academy prospect Piero Quispe mean it would prove to be another difficult loan spell.
Vilchez told ChronicleLive: "The best way to describe this loan of Rodrigo Vilca at Universitario is bad timing. He arrived back to Peru with the illusion of becoming a starter for one of the biggest clubs in the country, yet injuries and the rise of a player from the ‘La U’ academy would mean his loan spell not going as planned.
"I imagine things could’ve gone differently had he stayed fit and perhaps if Piero Quispe never had a big rise to the first team. Rodrigo Vilca showed lots of promise during his time at Deportivo Municipal, so it would be wrong to say he has no quality as a player."
Vilca would only register a solitary goal and two assists during his time with Universitario, before returning to the North East at the end of last year. The attacking midfielder struggled to impress in a wide role, while seeing opportunities in his best position limited by Quispe.
Vilchez added: "Whenever Vilca would play, he would usually be sent on the wing and it came with underwhelming performances. He does not have the speed or marking that is required.
"However, whenever he did play as a number 10 (his best position), he did show some interesting moments. At the same time, the rise of Quispe meant for Vilca was behind in the pecking order and stayed on the bench." -
Newcastle under-21s boss Ben Dawson confirmed discussions were 'ongoing' with Vilca at the end of January over his next step. The domestic transfer deadline would have prevented the attacking midfielder sealing another loan switch abroad, but as it stands the forgotten signing remains with the Magpies.
Vilca marked his return to action for the Magpies' second string with a substitute appearance in the Premier League Cup draw with Bristol City, and followed this with a late cameo in the derby defeat at Sunderland. The 23-year-old has since made starts in the recent academy draws with Leeds United and Stoke City, and even netted an impressive volley in the behind-closed doors win over Brentford B.
Vilca was the final signing of a delayed summer window which saw former head coach Steve Bruce also bring in Ryan Fraser, Jeff Hendrick, Jamal Lewis, and Callum Wilson. It is safe to say the landscape at St James' Park has shifted significantly in the intervening period, and it is hard to envisage how the attacking midfielder can force his way into Eddie Howe's plans before his contract expires in the summer of 2024.
Vilchez added: "The Newcastle United that signed Vilca is all gone. With the amount of funds the new ownership has, I don’t think there are any plans for Vilca to feature for the first team of Newcastle.
"At this point in his career, he needs to find somewhere he can get minutes. Perhaps Newcastle will loan him to another club or let him leave for free. The most important thing for Vilca right now is to find some way to revive his career after a down year."
* Newcastle United U21s return to Premier League 2 action on Monday afternoon at home to West Brom. You can follow all of the updates as it happens here.
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