Newcastle United midfielder medical booked claim - club set to reach new signing limit
Newcastle United transfers: The Magpies are pushing to sign another young player from abroad.
Newcastle United are looking to secure a deal for 18-year-old midfielder Ousmane Diabate from Turkish side Gençlerbirliği.
A report from Spor Depor in Turkey has claimed Diabate has travelled to England for medical checks ahead of a potential move to Newcastle.
The claims have been backed up by sources close to Newcastle, as the club pushes to sign yet another young player this transfer window. However, unlike young midfield additions Sean Steur and Aladji Bamba, who will play a role in United’s first-team this coming season, Diabate will remain with Gençlerbirliği on loan.
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The defensive midfielder has been capped once by the Guinea national team and made his debut in the Turkish Süper Lig last season.
Newcastle will have to be wary of Premier League rules should they sign Diabate, having already signed five players below the age of 21 from abroad this transfer window.
Premier League rules explained
Ewen Jaouen, Bazoumana Toure, Afner Ca, Steur and Bamba have all joined Newcastle this summer from abroad and will not take up a place in the Premier League squad as they are below the age of 21.
Premier League rules state clubs can only sign a maximum of six players under the age of 21 per season and a maximum of three can come during the January transfer window. Signing Diabate would take Newcastle’s foreign under-21s signings to six already this summer, even if the player were to quickly return to Turkey on loan.
Newcastle have also agreed a deal to sign Johan Martinez from Independiente del Valle when he turns 18 at the end of the 2026/27 season. The Ecuadorian forward has recently visited St James’ Park.
A statement released on the FA website in 2020 said: “In the Premier League, the number of overseas U21 players a club can sign will be limited to three in the January transfer window and six per season moving forwards. This enables the recruitment of the best players from around the world to train and play together with homegrown talent.”
Newcastle have made six first-team signings so far this summer with only Amar Dedic and Lukas Hornicek, who are both 24, being above 21. Ca, 19, joined as a free agent following his release from Levante in Spain and will join up with Newcastle’s Under-21s side.
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