Newcastle United are monitoring a “special” record-breaking international forward who idolises Neymar, according to a new report.
Newcastle veteran’s nightmare season continues
Odysseas Vlachodimos has played just one game for Newcastle United since completing a £20 million move to St. James’ Park from Nottingham Forest last summer – with the Greek behind both Nick Pope and Martin Dubravka in the pecking order on Tyneside.
The 30-year-old, however, had remained a regular for his national team, having started all six of Greece’s Nations League group matches, keeping four clean sheets to help Ivan Jovanovic’s side to win five.
That run between the sticks came to an end at the weekend, though, as Vlachodimos was dropped for Greece’s play-off fixture against Scotland, with Jovanovic instead naming Olympiakos’ Konstantinos Tzolakis in his place.
While no doubt frustrating for Vlachodimos, the decision proved to be the right one as Greece ran out as comprehensive 3-0 winners at Hampden Park to seal their promotion to Nations League Group A and sink Scotland down to Group B.
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He could be an exciting addition for Eddie Howe.
Speaking after the game, former Scotland defender Willie Miller was full of praise for the Greeks’ performance.
“Sometimes the opposition are just better than you and the Greeks were better. Sorely disappointing, a great performance from Greece and a poor one from Scotland,” he said, according to BBC Sport. “Greece were just a better side, we had no answer for them. We had no creativity and no threat, we didn’t make it difficult at all for Greece.”
Newcastle monitoring Vlachodimos’ teammate
Among those on the scoresheet for Greece in their 3-0 win over Scotland was teenager Konstantinos Karetsas, who recently switched his international allegiance from Belgium to represent the Azure & White. Karetsas scored his side’s second on the night, firing beautifully into the top corner from just inside the Scotland box.
At just 17 years of age, his goal saw him become the youngest player ever to score a competitive goal for the Greek national team.
According to TBR Football chief correspondent Graeme Bailey, Newcastle are among a number of clubs who are currently keeping tabs on Karetsas. Bailey reports that representatives from Newcastle, Manchester United and Liverpool were all in attendance to watch the young attacking midfielder in action against Scotland.
When not playing for Greece, Karetsas plays for Racing Genk in the Belgian Pro League, for whom he’s scored two goals and provided four assists in 30 games this season. The Belgian-born star, who, according to BBC Sport, idolises Brazil legends Neymar and Ronaldinho, was described as “pretty special” by former Scotland winger Pat Nevin after his standout performance across two legs against the Tartan Army.
Greek journalist Stephen Kountourou, meanwhile, has hailed him as one of world football’s future stars: “We had to fight tooth and nail with the Belgian FA to stop him representing them and that was seen as a big coup for Greek football, because Karetsas is rated not just as a potentially decent talented player but as one of the big players for the future in international football.”
