Manchester United and Newcastle in transfer battle for La Liga starlet: report

In this composite image a comparison has been made between Erik ten Hag, Manager of Manchester United (L) and Eddie Howe, Manager of Newcastle United. Manchester United and Newcastle United meet in the Carabao Cup Final on February 26,2023 at Wembley Stadium in London, England. ***LEFT IMAGE*** MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 02: Erik ten Hag, Manager of Manchester United looks on ahead of the Premier League match between Manchester City and Manchester United at Etihad Stadium on October 02, 2022 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images) ***RIGHT IMAGE*** NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND - APRIL 08: Eddie Howe, Manager of Newcastle United looks on during the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Wolverhampton Wanderers at St. James Park on April 08, 2022 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Manchester United and Newcastle are reportedly keeping tabs on prodigious Valencia midfielder Javi Guerra.

The 20-year-old made his La Liga debut for Valencia late last season and has made 17 first-team appearances for the club in all.

Guerra has already scored four senior goals, including three this campaign – of which he has started the last four games for Ruben Baraja's side.

Javi Guerra of Valencia CF during La Liga match between Valencia CF and UD Las Palmas at Mestalla Stadium on August 18, 2023.

Guerra came through Valencia's youth system having started out at Villarreal (Image credit: Getty Images)

According to MARCA, Man United and Newcastle are sending scouts to watch every one of the Spain U21 international's matches.

However, in the event that either club does decide to try and sign him, he won't come cheap: his contract, which runs until 2027, contains a €100m (£86.7m) release clause.

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A versatile midfield operator who carries a significant attacking threat, Guerra has established himself as one of the most prodigious talents in La Liga.

He made his debut for Spain's U21 team earlier this month, featuring in European Under-21 Championship qualifiers against Malta and Scotland.

Valencia's Spanish midfielder #8 Javi Guerra celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the Spanish Liga football match between Sevilla FC and Valencia CF at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan stadium in Seville on August 11, 2023.

Guerra has made 10 La Liga starts so far (Image credit: Getty Images)

Having been promoted to Valencia's first-team squad this summer, Guerra began his 2023/24 season with a bang by coming off the bench to score an 88th-minute winner in a 2-1 victory away to Sevilla on the opening weekend.

He went on to find the net in an impressive 3-0 triumph over Atletico Madrid earlier this month, and in a 2-2 draw with Deportivo Alaves last time out.

More transfer stories

The next transfer window may be several months away, but transfer news continues to come thick and fast from around the Premier League and beyond.

Manchester United have been linked with a sensational swoop for a player dubbed 'the next Neymar'.

Meanwhile, Arsenal could sign a European starlet who Chelsea reportedly failed to land during the summer transfer window.

And Liverpool are said to have their eye on a highly-rated South American wonderkid.

Tom Hancock

Tom Hancock started freelancing for FourFourTwo in April 2019 and has also written for the Premier League and Opta Analyst, among others. He supports Wycombe Wanderers and has a soft spot for Wealdstone. A self-confessed statto, he has been known to watch football with a spreadsheet (or several) open...