Lucas Rodrigues can now sign for Aston Villa or Newcastle United for just €7m

Aston Villa and Newcastle United now have a clearer idea of what it could cost to sign Brazilian midfielder Lucas Rodrigues, with Goiás setting a minimum price of €7m (£6.1m) just to open negotiations.

The Premier League duo were among the clubs tracking the youngster earlier this year, as we exclusively revealed in April. At the time, second tier side Goiás were pointing to his enormous release clause and telling interested clubs to come armed with plenty of money.

Things are a little clearer now. Lucas has since turned 19, established himself as a key player and attracted interest from Vasco da Gama. The Brazilian club have already been given a rather expensive reality check.

Goiás set starting price for Rodrigues

According to ESPN Brazil, Goiás want at least €7m (£6.1m) before entertaining negotiations for their young midfielder.

Vasco have signalled their willingness to pay €3.5m (£3m), but that falls well short of the Brazilian club’s expectations. Sources at Goiás also told ESPN that no official offer has arrived.

The difference is considerable, especially with other clubs believed to be watching the player.

There is a financial complication, too. One source acknowledged that Goiás are dealing with cash-flow problems, although that apparently won’t make them easier to negotiate with.

“Goiás are not bankrupt. We’re not going to sell at any price,” the source told ESPN.

The club also pride themselves on being tough negotiators. Back in April, club official Paulo Rogério Pinheiro was even more outspoken. He declared that “the whole world wants Lucas, not just England” and challenged interested clubs to bring serious money.

At that stage, he highlighted a release clause of €44m (£38m). The new €7m (£6.1m) figure is considerably more approachable, although it is only the starting point for talks, not an agreed selling price.

Competition could complicate a Premier League move

The Vasco interest gives this story another dimension. There is now a Brazilian club testing Goiás’ position, even if the money discussed so far is nowhere near enough.

ESPN also report that several teams are following Lucas, with competition expected to be strong in the next transfer window.

For Aston Villa and Newcastle, the important development is that Goiás have put a more realistic figure on the table. That doesn’t mean the teenager is suddenly available for €7m (£6.1m), of course.

His contract runs until December 2029, and Goiás have made it clear they won’t allow their financial difficulties to dictate a cheap sale. Also, his progress this year has been encouraging, having reached six goals and one assist in 32 matches. So he’s a key part of the squad now.

Still, compared with April’s talk of a huge release clause, interested clubs now have something considerably more useful to work with.