'I cried with emotion' – Rodrigo Vilca discusses Newcastle United move as Peruvian completes deadline day transfer

The 21-year-old completed a switch from Deportivo Municipal, in a deal worth around £200,000, on transfer deadline day to become United’s sixth signing of the summer.

And after putting pen to paper of a four-year contract, Vilca could not hide his delight.

"At the beginning, I could not believe the opportunity to jump directly from Peru to a Premier League club. The process had a lot of phases, with all this Covid disaster, so it has been a rollercoaster of emotions,” he told nufc.co.uk.

"I have cried with emotion, not once but several times, because there have been different milestones. At times I have been tense, but now I am very happy and I hope to have a long and successful time in Newcastle.

"It seems a very nice city, the hotel has a very nice view (of the Tyne and Millennium bridges) and I hope to train as soon as possible now. I don't want to lose time - I want to be ready!".

Chris Hogg, Newcastle United's lead player development coach for the under-23 side​, added: "We're delighted to have Rodrigo here. He's an exciting attacking player, and we'll be hoping to see that attacking ability.

"We'll be looking to give him the opportunity to improve with us and be a part of Newcastle United's future."

Vilca is the only business United have done on deadline day, with Steve Bruce focussed on outgoings rather than incomings, having added Vilca to Callum Wilson, Jamal Lewis, Ryan Fraser, Jeff Hendrick and Mark Gillespie already signed this summer.

Vilca will initially join up with United’s under-23 side, who were hammered 4-0 at Benton by North East rivals Sunderland today, with view to potentially loaning the player out in January.

South American football expert Tim Vickery, speaking to Sky Sports, said of the move: ““There’s some talent there. But he looks very much of a lightweight. So, this is one out of left-field. And the reported fee is something like £250k, it’s the kind of fee which would have got you Alan Ball 50 years ago and that fee shows if Newcastle get anything out of this then it will be a bonus.”