‘Biggest budget yet’ - Huge transfer news for Newcastle United after Chelsea win
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Toon chiefs fought tirelessly to sign the 17-year-old amid reported interest from several European heavyweights. Dinamo Tbilisi, the club Salia left, has become the latest hotbed of talent, with Georgian stars Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Giorgi Mamardashvili bursting through the ranks in recent years.
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Hide AdSimilar to Napoli sensation Kvaratskhelia, Salia can play on the left or through the middle. The wonderkid will remain in Tbilisi until next summer before linking up with Newcastle’s youth ranks.
Sporting director Paul Mitchell is understood to have green-lit the deal as the Magpies ramp up plans for next year. Youth investment has been a cornerstone of Newcastle’s transfer policy since the Saudi-backed takeover.
A neglected area under the previous regime, FFP/PSR restrictions beginning to rear their head has made player trading equally as important across all levels. Manchester City and Chelsea have been the best proponents of “flipping” academy stars at huge profits - enabling them to bankroll first-team signings.
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Hide AdIn three years since the Saudi buyout, Newcastle have attempted this with mixed success. Yankuba Minteh, who the Magpies sold to Brighton for £33million without ever kicking a ball in black and white, is the biggest success story.
The likes of Garang Kuol, Alex Murphy and Harrison Ashby also arrived and could potentially be sold for profit. According to the i, Newcastle have allocated the “biggest budget ever” for youth talent.
This comes after the Magpies signed Georgian prodigy Salia, Mitchell reaffirming club policy once the news broke. He said: “We're delighted to get ahead of a number of other top clubs to sign Vakhtang.
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Hide Ad"Scouting and recruiting emerging talent is an essential part of building a sustainable future, particularly within the current PSR framework. So the market is fiercely competitive.
“We continue to scout extensively, both domestically and overseas, with a view to securing players who can come through our talent pathway and, ideally, become part of the first team in future. We look forward to working with Vakhtang and wish him every success during his remaining time with Dinamo Tbilisi."
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