The Magpies may have just unearthed another gem from La Liga. Spain has proven to be a rich proving ground for Newcastle United talent in recent years, and the arrival of the young, unheralded Antonito Cordero on a free transfer from Malaga may just prove to be another piece of shrewd business from the club’s Spain-based scouts.
Who is the new guy?
Young winger Cordero has arrived from Spain with a growing reputation after debuting for Malaga as a 16 year old. The young winger is also a Spanish international at U18, U19 and U21 level, and is appearing for his country at the U21 UEFA European Championships in Slovakia. A tricky wide player, Cordero could turn out to be another crowd favourite at St James’ Park.
Last five La Liga captures
Spain has been a real source of talent for Newcastle in recent years. Indeed, you need look no further than the club’s record signing, and top scorer from the last two campaigns, Alexander Isak, to see that it’s a journey that has proven fruitful in the past. There are other notable current squad members who have taken the journey north, but there have been a couple of signings that haven’t quite worked out too. Here we take a look at the five most recent arrivals from Spain’s top division.
Alexander Isak – Signed from Real Sociedad for £63m in 2022
Swedish striker Isak has been a phenomenal success since his arrival on Tyneside three years ago. In the past two seasons Isak has been particularly impressive, finishing the Premier League campaign with 23 goals in the 2024/25 season to add to the 21 he notched the season before. It’s little wonder that UK casino and sports betting sites have Isak among the favourites for the Premier League Golden Boot award next time around. Indeed, his eye-catching performances have been enough to attract serious attention from elsewhere, and there’s little doubt that if the Magpies were to cash in on one of their prized assets, it would be for considerably more than the club record fee for which the player was signed. Proving himself at Real Sociedad prior to joining Newcastle, this is one player who has certainly proven the La Liga pathway to be a source of success for Premier League clubs.
Kieran Trippier – signed from Atletico Madrid for £12m in 2022
Different from Isak in so many ways, Kieran Trippier has equally proven his value since joining the club from Atletico Madrid. The player had serious Premier League experience of course, notably during his time at Tottenham, but Trippier’s presence and performances for the Magpies have no doubt been instrumental in helping lead Eddie Howe’s side to another level. A former skipper of the club, Trippier helped lift the Carabao Cup after the club claimed their famous victory at Wembley in 2025.
Fabian Schar – signed from Deportivo La Coruna for £3m in 2018
Swiss defender Fabian Schar has proven to be an invaluable asset during his seven-year (and counting) stay at the club. Joining from Deportivo, Schar has gone on to make 230 appearances for the club, and played the full 90 minutes in the historic League Cup win. Schar is a perfect example of the talent that can be picked up from La Liga, even on the relatively cheap, and once again provides a good omen for the future of Cordero.
Florian Lejeune – signed from Eibar for £7.5m in 2017
Not the most famous name on this list, granted, but Frenchman Lejeune played 42 times for the club over the course of a four-year stay, scoring his only two goals for the Magpies in glorious fashion in injury time against Everton in 2020. Not one to be remembered, perhaps, but certainly not a disastrous signing, especially for the fee. Lejeune still currently plies his trade in La Liga for Rayo Vallecano.
Javier Manquillo – signed from Atletico Madrid for £4.5m in 2017
Another player who continues to turn out in La Liga after being signed from that same league for the Toon is Javier Manquillo, who established himself as first-choice right back for a number of years at St James’ Park. Indeed, Manquillo only moved on in 2024 after a seven-year stay which saw the player make 110 appearances for the club, scoring a solitary goal.
