Newcastle United’s latest scouting trip to Porto brought familiar transfer names back into view, along with a goalkeeper who may prompt fresh discussion after the Magpies’ recent setback. At Wednesday’s Champions League match against Napoli, the home side won 4-1, and Newcastle’s representatives had several players to assess.
Froholdt remains a familiar name
Portuguese newspaper A Bola reported that Newcastle were among 14 clubs represented at the Estádio do Dragão. Bayern Munich, AC Milan, Atlético Madrid, Brentford and Ipswich Town were also there.
The visit extends Newcastle’s recent scouting of Porto. Club representatives watched the Portuguese side face Benfica in September and returned for the match against PSV Eindhoven last month. Newcastle watched Porto against Benfica in September, then returned for their match against PSV Eindhoven.
Victor Froholdt, who played the full 90 minutes against Napoli, is one reason for the repeated interest. The 20-year-old Danish midfielder was among Newcastle’s preferred options to replace Bruno Guimarães during the summer. A transfer did not materialize: Porto pointed to his €85m (£71m) release clause, and the player wasn’t particularly keen on joining the Magpies.
That reluctance hasn’t ended Newcastle’s interest. The club are still “crazy about him”, according to a previous report. Froholdt remains a key player for Porto manager Francesco Farioli and completed another full shift against Napoli, though Gabri Veiga drew more attention during the match.
Samu’s return adds another thread
Striker Samu Aghehowa also featured. Newcastle had been linked with the Spaniard before a serious ACL injury kept him out for almost eight months. He has only recently returned, and his appearance off the bench offered a positive sign.
Samu replaced André Silva in the 56th minute. He had a strong chance to score but was denied by Napoli goalkeeper Alex Meret. Late in the game, Rafa Marín brought him down in the penalty area and was sent off; Samu converted the resulting spot-kick to complete Porto’s 4-1 win.
For Newcastle, his goal is an encouraging marker as he works back into action. It also gives the club another reason to keep watching a player they had previously tracked.
Diogo Costa stands out in goal
Diogo Costa’s performance could carry added interest after Newcastle’s defeat to Everton on Monday. The club signed Czech goalkeeper Lukáš Horníček from Braga in the summer, giving him a five-year contract after he established himself among the Primeira Liga’s leading performers.
Horníček made a promising start in England, but an expensive error against Everton may have drawn attention to Newcastle’s goalkeeping options. One mistake doesn’t establish that the club are seeking a replacement: Horníček is 24, has been at Newcastle for only three months and is still adapting to English football.
Still, Costa is an obvious name for any club assessing elite Portuguese goalkeepers. Portugal’s first-choice keeper has long been regarded as the country’s leading player in the position, and he made five saves against Napoli. Before Scott McTominay’s equaliser, Costa produced two consecutive stops; Napoli scored on the third attempt.
Other players in the scouts’ view
Porto substitute Santiago Giménez made an immediate contribution after coming on in the 67th minute. Four minutes later, the Mexican striker set up Veiga’s goal to put Porto back in front. Meret also saved an attempt from Giménez.
Napoli’s Antonio Vergara started and played until the 79th minute. The 23-year-old attacking midfielder was a Tottenham summer target, though he has not been identified as a Newcastle target. The same applies to Giménez; both were simply among the players available for visiting scouts to watch.
Newcastle’s repeated trips to Porto keep Froholdt’s situation in focus, while Samu’s goal marks a welcome step in his return. Costa’s display adds a separate point of interest: after investing in Horníček, Newcastle can judge their new keeper’s progress while continuing to monitor one of Portugal’s most accomplished alternatives.