Newcastle United are edging closer to signing Johan Martinez from Ecuadorian club Independiente del Valle, with talks at an advanced stage as the Magpies look to beat off competition from several European clubs for one of South America’s most exciting teenage prospects.
Martinez, 16, was born in 2009 and has spent his entire football life at Independiente del Valle, the Quito-based club that has become one of South America’s most reliable production lines for European talent.
Moises Caicedo, Piero Hincapie, Willian Pacho and Joel Ordonez all passed through the same academy before landing at some of Europe’s biggest clubs, and Martinez is being spoken of in similarly glowing terms.
Per journalist Rudy Galetti, who broke the story, Martinez is considered the complete modern attacker.
He can play across the front three, possesses exceptional pace while maintaining control of the ball at full speed, and is already physically strong enough to compete in duels at an age where most players his size are still developing basic technique.
In South America, comparisons to Ousmane Dembele have already started circulating. Liverpool, Manchester City, Brighton, Bayer Leverkusen, Wolfsburg and Parma all made enquiries in recent months, but Newcastle have moved furthest along in negotiations.
Independiente del Valle are reportedly asking for a minimum of $3 million for the transfer and will retain a 20% sell-on clause, a standard arrangement for a club that has earned over $100 million from player sales in recent years.
If everything goes as planned, Martinez is expected to remain on loan at the Ecuadorian club for at least another season before making the move to St James’ Park, allowing him to develop further in familiar surroundings while Newcastle hold his registration.
