In a significant transfer move, Javier Manquillo has officially completed his switch from Newcastle United to La Liga side Celta Vigo on a permanent deal. The 29-year-old Spaniard, who had been rumored to be on the verge of departing Newcastle, has inked a deal with his new club that extends until June 2025, marking a departure from his previous contract with Newcastle, which was set to expire at the end of the current season.
Despite encountering a series of muscular injuries that kept him sidelined for the entirety of the current season with Newcastle, Manquillo has undergone a successful operation and is now set to rejoin forces with his former manager at Newcastle, Rafa Benitez, at Celta Vigo. This reunion marks the second occasion Benitez has signed Manquillo, with the first instance occurring when the Spanish defender was initially brought to Tyneside from Atletico Madrid in 2017. Throughout his tenure with Newcastle, Manquillo made 110 appearances for the St James’ Park club.
The right-back position at Newcastle underwent a shift in dynamics with the arrival of Tino Livramento in the summer. Consequently, Manquillo found himself slipping down the pecking order, trailing behind Livramento, Kieran Trippier, and Emil Krafth as options for manager Eddie Howe.
As Celta Vigo currently holds the 16th position in La Liga, Manquillo’s addition to their squad comes at a crucial juncture. The team is gearing up to face Real Sociedad in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals on Tuesday, with expectations high for Manquillo to make a significant impact.
On the Newcastle front, amidst transfer speculations, the club has made it clear that key players Kieran Trippier and Callum Wilson will not be sold during the ongoing transfer window. Bayern Munich’s initial loan bid for Trippier, the club’s vice-captain, was rejected over the weekend, while Atletico Madrid has shown interest in Wilson. Despite being close to the limit of the Premier League‘s Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR), Newcastle is determined to retain key first-team players for what is anticipated to be a crucial second half of the season. The club’s commitment to maintaining its core squad signals a strong resolve to navigate the challenges ahead and secure success in the coming months.
