Newcastle have been handed a huge boost in their long-term pursuit of Galatasaray winger Garry Rodrigues after he was put up for sale ahead of the January window, according to Hurriyet.
The Turkish national newspaper report that the Super Lig club must sell before they can buy any players in January as they look to comply with Financial Fair Play regulations.
Hurriyet claim that Rodrigues is top of the list of players who can leave, with Newcastle vying with Villareal and Valencia for the 27-year-old Cape Verde international.
It is said that Galatasaray want to replace the speed machine with Chinese Super League star Lei Wu, who has 23 goals in 24 games this season.
OPINION
This is a huge boost for Newcastle, who have been linked with a move for Rodrigues for around a year now. Rumours started surrounding a January swoop last season before continuing into the summer window. A concrete bid never materialised though, and even if it had done, the likelihood of Newcastle luring Rodrigues to St. James’ Park was low. The 27-year-old played a key role in Galatasaray’s title-winning season last term, and publicly stated that he was staying at the club with the prospect of Champions League football ahead. His form this season has not been so impressive however, and the club are obviously in some kind of financial trouble. If Newcastle are serious about signing Rodrigues then now is the time for them to swoop, with the door well and truly open for a move to be made. It is not clear however how much the Turkish side would want for the speed machine, with fees of around £13million touted previously.
