Turning attention to South America, a PIF president is said to be personally interested in signing Newcastle United’s Brazilian starlet in 2026.
Ross Wilson closes in on first Newcastle contract
It was a busy international break at St James’ Park as PIF welcomed new sporting director Ross Wilson from Nottingham Forest.
The 41-year-old joins in hopes of bringing much-needed stability to Newcastle’s transfer department and has already been welcomed with open arms by manager Eddie Howe.
“I’ve known Ross for several years. He’s been in the game for a long time and he’s done well,” Howe told reporters.
“I’m working with him now and it will be interesting to see how our relationship develops. He’s a positive person and seems like a nice guy. I support Ross’ appointment and I hope we can work well together and be successful. I think Ross will be a great addition.”
It didn’t take long for Wilson to make his mark.
According to reports, they are already close to signing their first contract with Barnsley youngster Josh Kensington. The England Under-15 star is reportedly set to arrive after the Magpies agreed a deal to secure his signature until 2026.
Compared to John Stones, who also started at Barnsley, Kensington could be a huge coup for Newcastle if his great potential is realized in the coming years.
However, he is not the only young player Newcastle are eyeing.
St. James University officials are also reportedly targeting high-profile South American talent who are making waves across the Atlantic.
PIF chairman personally wants to sign Rayan with Newcastle
According to Brazilian reports from Sport Witness, PIF and Newcastle president Yassir Al Rumayyan are now personally interested in signing Rayan from Vasco da Gama in 2026, and have told his agent that they see great potential in the winger.
Manager Al Rumayan has apparently “expressed his desire” for Newcastle to make a deal behind the scenes, and it’s clear why.
The 19-year-old winger really made an impression in Brazil.
With a release clause of €40m (approximately £35m), Newcastle should be in a strong position to sign the talented winger if they can fend off competition from the likes of Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa.
Ryan recently became the youngest player in Vasco history to score 10 goals in the Brazilian top flight since Dynamite in 1973, breaking a 52-year record. He has been in top form throughout the 2025 season, scoring 15 goals in all competitions, including eight goals in his last 13 league games.
And even with that release clause, Vasco values Ryan at just €30m (about £26m), giving Newcastle an extra boost if they press ahead with his signature.
Described by South America expert Nathan Joyes as a “monster,” Ryan is definitely a player to keep an eye on.
A number of South American talents have taken the Premier League by storm in recent years, and he could be the next.
It would be something of a statement for Wilson if he was able to pull off a transfer coup like this early in his time at Newcastle.
