Newcastle United have fended off significant interest in Garang Kuol as the youngster edges closer to joining the Magpies. The 18-year-old has flourished at Central Coast Mariners in Australia, with terms now agreed between the A League outfit and Eddie Howe's side.
Kuol is yet to agree personal terms but will be in England in the coming days to finalise the deal and complete a medical. The teenage sensation will be loaned out upon his January arrival due to work permit issues.
The attacker has caught the eye in recent months after his dazzling club form earned him a surprise Australia call-up. Coming off the bench on Sunday, Kuol became the youngster debutant for the national side since Harry Kewell 25 years ago.
READ MORE: Chris Wood quizzed over Newcastle United transfer target Garang Kuol after recent meeting
The player's meteoric rise has led to a plethora of transfer interest in recent months, with Newcastle looking to pull off a major coup if they can get the deal over the line in the near future.
Spanish giants Barcelona were keen on Kuol and proposed a two-year loan to Central Coast Mariners. It's no surprise the Catalan outfit were keen on the sensation given Nou Camp boss Xavi publicly praised him after watching him in action over the summer.
“He did really well,” Xavi told Network 10 after a friendly. “He created many chances and almost scored. 17? Maybe he’s a big liar! At (17), that’s unbelievable. All the best for him, and all the players.”
German side Stuttgart felt they had a great chance of landing Kuol after signing his older brother Alou back in 2021. Meanwhile, Celtic were another club to express an interest in the youngster due to manager Ange Postecoglou's close links to the Australia setup.
The former Socceroos boss recently heaped praise on Kuol as he eyes a World Cup spot with the national side. "It's great to see. We love young talent, we always get excited by it. He looks like he's got something special about him, which is great," Postecoglou told KeepUp.
"He's in the national team now and that's another great platform for him. A lot of somebody's football career is about timing and he might be timing his run perfectly. Going to a World Cup at such a young age and hopefully making an impact and changing his life. I hope he goes well."
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