Abdulhafiz TeslimNewcastle United are reportedly preparing to make another major move in the transfer market, with the club now competing against Arsenal and Aston Villa for the signature of one of Benfica’s most exciting young attacking talents.
The player attracting all this attention is a 20-year-old Argentine winger who has continued to develop in Portugal and is now beginning to attract serious interest from the Premier League.
According to reports emerging today, Arsenal, Newcastle United and Aston Villa are all competing for Gianluca Prestianni, with Benfica understood to have placed a significant valuation on the youngster.
Prestianni is regarded as one of the more interesting young attackers in Benfica’s squad. He joined the Portuguese giants from Vélez Sarsfield and signed a contract running until 2029.
His ability to operate out wide, combined with his pace and technical quality, has made him an attractive option for clubs looking for a long-term attacking investment.
And Newcastle appear ready to take the interest a step further.
Newcastle ready to make a major salary offer
One of the biggest developments surrounding the reported race is Newcastle’s willingness to offer Prestianni a huge improvement on his current salary.
The Magpies are reportedly prepared to offer the Argentine three times his current wages in an attempt to convince him that St James’ Park should be his next destination.
That could become an important factor if the three Premier League clubs eventually make formal approaches.
Newcastle have already been extremely active in the transfer market this summer, including completing the permanent signing of Amar Dedić from Benfica for €35.9 million. Benfica officially confirmed the agreement with Newcastle on August 18.
The club’s recruitment strategy under Matthias Jaissle has increasingly focused on adding young players with the potential to become important figures in the future.
Prestianni would fit that profile perfectly.
Benfica’s valuation could make the deal difficult
However, Newcastle would still have to negotiate with Benfica.
The Portuguese club are reportedly valuing Prestianni at around $58 million, despite the winger having a much higher release clause of approximately $116 million.
That difference could give the interested Premier League clubs some hope of negotiating a deal below the full clause.
Still, Benfica have little reason to rush into a sale. Prestianni remains under contract until 2029, meaning the Portuguese club are in a strong negotiating position. Current salary estimates also put his gross annual earnings at around €1.25 million for the 2026/27 season, although those figures are not official.
Why Newcastle are interested
For Newcastle, the attraction is obvious.
Prestianni is still only 20 and has plenty of room to develop. His explosive pace and technical ability have already attracted attention, with reports stating that scouts have monitored him during Benfica matches this season.
The Magpies could therefore see him as both an immediate attacking option and a player who could become considerably more valuable in the future.
But they are not alone.
Arsenal are also keeping tabs on the situation, while Aston Villa have entered the race as another potential destination.
That makes the next stage of the story particularly interesting.
If Newcastle are genuinely prepared to triple Prestianni’s current salary, they may believe they have a serious weapon in the race.
For now, though, there is no indication that a final agreement has been reached.
The competition is building, Benfica have a major valuation in mind, and Newcastle could be preparing another statement move before the transfer window closes.
The race for Prestianni is now one to watch closely.
Abdulhafiz Teslim
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