Report: Newcastle can now sign player with £103m release clause for almost £70m less

By Sam Preston

Newcastle United could sign promising Benfica forward Goncalo Ramos from Benfica for £34 million this summer.

Reports in Portugal claim that Ramos’ club are willing to do business at that price, having recently rejected a £25.7 million offer.

Record say that there is interest from France and Germany, as well as Tyneside and recently promoted Nottingham Forest.

It would be a shock to see Forest do the deal at that high price, but a bidding war is expected which could push the price up to what Benfica want.

Newcastle could sign Ramos for £34 million

They say that super agent Jorge Mendes is leading the negotiations and he will know exactly what he is doing in terms of getting the best possible deal.

Although Ramos has a release clause of €120 million (£103m) in his contract, Newcastle could get him for nearly £70 million less.

Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund are keen, so Newcastle could find it hard to compete with the Champions League football they could offer if they firm up their interest.

Ramos made 17 starts and 12 substitute appearances in the league for Benfica last season, scoring seven goals and laying one assist.

Ramos also made four starts and three substitute appearances in the Champions League last term, netting a solitary goal in those matches.

Former Newcastle target Darwin Nunez has just left Benfica to go to Liverpool, which means that the Portuguese club are under no financial pressure to sell and also that Ramos could now have a chance to step into the breach up front.