Newcastle United join Liverpool in race for FC Porto winger

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Liverpool’s summer business is already taking shape before the final whistle has blown on the current campaign. Image Credits: Imago ImagesLiverpool’s summer business is already taking shape before the final whistle has blown on the current campaign.With Mohamed Salah’s nine-year Anfield career drawing to a close, Andrew Robertson heading for the exit, and a Champions League spot still being fought for ahead of Sunday’s trip to Old Trafford, Arne Slot’s recruitment team have been busy laying the groundwork for a significant rebuild.The names of Yan Diomande and Bradley Barcola have already surfaced as targets for a wide attacking role, with The Times’ Paul Joyce confirming both are being assessed.But Liverpool’s scouting network, it now emerges, casts an even wider net than those names suggest.While the Reds have reportedly been among the clubs tracking one of Portugal’s most exciting young talents, they are now not alone in the Premier League alone.The race has widened considerably, with a fellow top-flight rival entering the picture and a Portuguese club moving swiftly to protect their prized asset.According to Portuguese newspaper Record, Newcastle United have now formally joined Manchester United, Liverpool and Manchester City in monitoring a teenage winger who has made an extraordinary impact at FC Porto since arriving in January.Chelsea are also among the interested parties, while Atlético Madrid, Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich complete a list that reads more like a who’s who of European football than a tracker for a 17-year-old still months from legal adulthood.Oskar Pietuszewski, the Polish-born winger joined Porto from Jagiellonia in January and has barely paused for breath since.In just 13 appearances, he has registered three goals and two assists — eye-catching numbers for a teenager dropped into one of European football’s most competitive leagues.The underlying metrics are where the story gets even more compelling.Pietuszewski is averaging 6.42 dribbles per match, a figure that stands out even among established wide attackers in the top leagues, while his combative edge shows in the approximately nine duels he wins per game, a combination of flair and physicality that has quickly earned him a regular place in Francesco Farioli’s plans.Porto moved swiftly the moment the interest list grew.The club intend not only to extend his contract from its current expiry in January 2029 to June 2031, but also to increase his release clause above the current €60 million (£52 million) figure.Porto paid just €8 million for Pietuszewski, with a further €2 million in bonuses to Jagiellonia and a 10% sell-on clause retained by his former club, meaning the Portuguese side have every incentive to maximise his value before the market dictates the terms.The club’s precedent with Rodrigo Mora, whose protection was raised to a €70 million clause, suggests Pietuszewski’s new terms could surpass that benchmark.For Liverpool, the arrival of Newcastle into the conversation only increases the urgency.Pietuszewski turns 18 on May 20, which is when a longer-term contract can legally be signed.Porto will not wait for clubs to make the first move.They rarely do.

FC Porto Newcastle United Oskar Pietuszewski