Newcastle United set to sign defender amid ‘advanced negotiations’ for Serie A winger

Irish defender Cathal Heffernan featured for Newcastle’s Under-21s side in the friendly matches against Carlisle United and Barrow. Despite The Young Magpies losing both matches 2-0 and 4-1 respectively, the club have decided to sign the 18-year-old.

Heffernan joined AC Milan from Cork City on an initial loan deal in January 2022 which was then made permanent last summer. And according to the Irish Examiner, he is set to become another player to leave Milan for Newcastle this summer.

Youth football in Italy has seen an influx of young Irish talent that may have otherwise joined English clubs.

Speaking earlier this year on Sky Sports, Heffernan said: “If Brexit hadn’t happened, I probably could be in England right now.

“I think it’s a massive disadvantage for England, they’re going to have to figure out a way to counteract it in the future or they’ll end up paying the price. The way it is, European clubs are just going to start taking over by getting the best players from all around Europe.

“I could be in England right now, I’m not saying I would be in England but it would be a good bit of the way there.

“I’d been on a couple of trials in Italy as well and thankfully I landed this one in Milan, it changed my life so I’m kind of happy it happened in a way, but it would have been nice to go to England as well.”

The teenager is Republic of Ireland Under-19s international team-mates with Newcastle Under-21s pair Alex Murphy and Reece Byrne.

And another of Heffernan’s Ireland youth team-mates is also close to joining The Magpies. Inter Milan winger Kevin Zefi has been on Newcastle’s radar after he registered 16 goals in 23 appearances at youth level last season.

The 18-year-old is in ‘advanced negotiations’ to join Newcastle this summer and has just a year remaining on his contract after joining Inter from Shamrock Rovers in 2021.

Zefi, who is of Albanian descent, was born and bred in Ireland and his agent is none other than former Newcastle defender Stephen Carr.