Newcastle United signing confirmed as manager reveals £3m deal before announcement

Newcastle United have completed the signing of highly-rated 18-year-old Ousmane Diabaté from Gençlerbirliği, with manager Metin Diyadin confirming the transfer before the Magpies have officially announced his arrival.

Diabaté has already travelled to England and completed his medical, with Newcastle reaching agreements with both the player and the Turkish club.

He will initially remain at Gençlerbirliği on loan to continue his development.

Newcastle will reportedly pay €3.1million (£2.7m) plus €400,000 (£345,000) in bonuses for the Guinea international.

Diabaté is set to sign a four-year contract at St James' Park with the option of another season.

However, rather than immediately joining Matthias Jaissle's first-team squad, the defensive midfielder will spend the season back on loan at Gençlerbirliği.

Newcastle will reportedly retain the option to recall him in January.

The only thing now missing is the official announcement.

Diabaté played the full 90 minutes as Gençlerbirliği defeated Göztepe 1-0 on Monday, despite his Newcastle transfer already being completed.

Speaking afterwards, Diyadin publicly confirmed the deal.

“We completed his sale to Newcastle United,” he said. “He is currently playing for us on loan.”

The manager also believes Newcastle have secured a player with considerable potential.

“He is a very mature player for his age. His game vision and technical ability are also good,” Diyadin explained.

“I think he will reach different levels as he plays more.”

Diabaté has developed rapidly since being promoted from Gençlerbirliği's youth setup.

His performances have now convinced Newcastle to invest in him at just 18, while the loan arrangement means he can continue playing regular senior football rather than immediately competing for minutes in the Premier League.

The structure gives Newcastle control over his development while also providing the option of bringing him to England earlier if his progress warrants it.

Newcastle's official announcement is now the final step after agreements were reached and the medical completed. Diabaté will then continue his development in Türkiye, with the Magpies able to assess his progress before potentially recalling him in January.

Could Diabaté prove to be another smart long-term Newcastle investment, or would you rather see the Magpies focus their remaining budget on immediate first-team additions?