Newcastle United are pushing to sign a “complete” centre-back, with the Magpies believed to be ahead of Liverpool in the race to snap him up.
Newcastle preparing for Benfica clash
Eddie Howe’s side’s hit-and-miss start to the 2025/26 season continued on Saturday, with Brighton winning 2-1 at the Amex Stadium in the Premier League.
Attention now turns to Tuesday’s Champions League clash with Benfica at St James’ Park, with the Magpies coming up against Jose Mourinho, who has recently taken charge of the Primeira Liga side.
Speaking ahead of the game, Mourinho made it clear that the home crowd could have a big impact on the result, warning his side that it will be a tough night.
“Tough. They’re a tough team, very physical, with great intensity in midfield, and we’re not. They have a very strong team, giants who are very strong at set pieces. At St James’ Park, the fans play.”
For Newcastle, it is an important night, as they look to bolster their chances of reaching the Champions League knockout stage, which in part will help entice top-quality players to the club in the future.
Newcastle eyeing move for "complete" £43m ace
According to Caught Offside, Newcastle have a better chance of signing Club Brugge centre-back Joel Ordonez than Liverpool, with Aston Villa also in the mix to acquire his signature.
The Ecuadorian is thought to be valued at £43m by his current club, with the Reds looking at Magpies ace Sven Botman as an alternative, creating a similar situtation to the one with Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike this summer.
Ordonez is a highly impressive young defender who is already a key man for club and country at the age of just 21, so it is understandable why Newcastle want to sign him.
In fact, the Brugge star has been part of an incredible Ecuador defence that has conceded just five goals in 18 matches in 2026 World Cup qualifying, helping them sit second in the table behind Argentina.
Ordonez may feel that he has already outgrown Brugge, even at his tender age, and he should be viewed as a fantastic option, with scout Jacek Kulig describing him as a “complete” defender in the recent past.
With Fabian Schar and Dan Burn now well into their 30s, long-term replacements need to be found, and in Ordonez, Newcastle have a player with such a high ceiling, and someone who should be viewed as one of their best options available.