Newcastle United's first signing of 2025 has already been confirmed - former Sunderland man to make call
Newcastle United have already announced one player who will be joining the club in 2025.
17-year-old Georgian forward Vakhtang Salia will officially join Newcastle from Dinamo Tbilisi when he turns 18 next August. The teenager is a regular at Dinamo, scoring six goals in 28 Erovnuli Liga appearances in 2024.
The signing has been likened to the transfers of Yankuba Minteh and Miodrag Pivas, who joined Newcastle from lesser-known European leagues with the view of them having a future in the first-team after initial loan spells. In Minteh’s case, his loan at Feyenoord was so successful that Newcastle were able to sell him for a considerable profit to Brighton & Hove Albion over the summer without the winger playing a game for the club.
Serbian defender Pivas is currently out on loan at Willem II but has been limited to just two substitute appearances in the Eredivisie so far this season.
Newcastle will attempt to identify a club to send Salia on loan to following his arrival during the 2025 summer transfer window. Former Sunderland manager Jack Ross, who was appointed as the club's new head of strategic technical football partnerships back in September alongside his role at Newcastle’s academy, will be tasked with finding a suitable club for Salia to join on loan.
Newcastle sporting director Paul Mitchell recently stated that signings like Salia are ‘essential’ for the club within the current restrictions of Premier League Profitability and Sustainability Rules.
"We're delighted to get ahead of a number of other top clubs to sign Vakhtang,” Mitchell told the club website.
"Scouting and recruiting emerging talent is an essential part of building a sustainable future, particularly within the current PSR framework, so the market is fiercely competitive.
"We continue to scout extensively, both domestically and overseas, with a view to securing players who can come through our talent pathway and, ideally, become part of the first team in future.
"We look forward to working with Vakhtang and wish him every success during his remaining time with Dinamo Tbilisi."