According to Turkish reports today, Newcastle will now have to stump up an incredible £18m to sign Galatasaray winger Garry Rodrigues this summer – almost triple the £7m we are believed to have offered to the Turkish giants for the 27-year-old last month.
The Chronicle have confirmed that Newcastle scouts were present to watch the winger in action on Friday, with him scoring one and assisting two in their emphatic 5-0 win over Bursaspor.
Galatasaray up asking price for #NUFC target Garry Rodrigues, amid interest from big European clubs https://t.co/YXpybrC1aP pic.twitter.com/TeDaqCH4i1
— The Chronicle (@ChronicleNUFC) February 26, 2018
His impressive display in front of NUFC officials last week means he now has 6 goals and 9 assists this season. An impressive tally, but there’s a long list of reasons why we won’t be offering anywhere near the alleged £18 asking price.
Rodrigues may be enjoying his best season to date, but he turns 28 this year so is hardly a prospect who has the best years ahead of him. Also, if this new asking price is correct, this will represent a sudden increase of £5m, with Rodrigues himself admitting that clubs would have to pay £13m for him this summer just last week.
Additionally, this is the Turkish league, a division where Bafetimbi Gomis (who scored 13 goals in 64 Premier League appearances for Swansea) is the top scorer, having scored 20 goals in just 22 games so far this season for Galatasaray.
Don’t get me wrong, Rodrigues could be a late bloomer and a decent buy at a sub £10m fee, but we just won’t be paying anywhere near £20m for a player whose edging towards 30 and unproven in any top European league.