NEWCASTLE: Three hundred and fifty-three days. Forty-seven games. It has been a long, testing road back to fitness for Newcastle United new boy Tino Livramento — but now there is Champions League lights at the end of the tunnel.
The moment the then 19-year-old defender crashed to the floor against Brighton on April 25, 2022, his young footballing world fell apart.
A player who, having taken the brave decision to leave Chelsea despite being their academy player of the year, looked to have the world at his feet, was facing a spell on the sidelines and an operation to fix a cruciate ligament rupture.
That season, his breakthrough, was a whirlwind. Thrown in at the deep end with Southampton, he marauded down the right flank, puncturing holes in defenses up and down the land with his speedy, physical, and purposeful breaks. His form put him firmly in the gaze of England boss Gareth Southgate, having represented every international age group from the age of 14.
But all that came to an end. And now, in a summer of high-profile deals, Livramento to many has become a forgotten man — and is very much being seen as overpriced. The lung-busting junctures in an ultra-attacking Ralph Hasenhuttl-shaped Saints seem to have faded to masses’ memory. It is a good job Eddie Howe and Dan Ashworth do not see it that way.
This attitude is the latest blow the confident, South London native has been forced to deal with, a young career littered with them.
First it was his Chelsea pathway being blocked by Reece James, then it was the injury, followed by a recovery only to see his side suffer relegation from the Premier League — for note, Livramento only played twice.
And just as he was on the up, his lack of games saw him overlooked for the UEFA under-21 Euros, which England went on to win. Now, the doubters, former Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher being the latest, wondering just why the Magpies are signing mid-table players, to paraphrase.
None of that matters to Livramento, though, who sealed a near $40 million transfer to Tyneside this week. In fact, he noted that the struggles had made him stronger.
He said: “It’s been tough. I had a great debut season, breaking through, then I had to recover from the injury for the whole of last season. It was a learning point for me — I got to work on different parts of myself. The time has allowed me to overcome a lot of things, it only makes you stronger.”
On Tuesday, the Magpies confirmed the deal, which will see the highly rated, if overlooked, full-back contracted to Newcastle until the summer of 2028.
It became Howe’s fourth signing of the summer, following on from Yankuba Minteh, Sandro Tonali, and Harvey Barnes. A central defender, to rival Fabian Schar is next in line.
The signing will fly under the radar for many but could end up ranking as one of the most significant, particularly long-term, up there with the likes of Bruno Guimaraes and Kieran Trippier. Livramento will likely play understudy to Trippier this season but admitted that the chance to learn off the England international was one of the biggest pulls of a move north.
“I’m really excited to have signed for Newcastle United and I’m looking forward to playing in front of the fans. I was here for the games over the weekend; even though they were friendlies, there were so many fans and they were still so loud so I can’t wait to see what it feels like to play in front of them in a Premier League or Champions League game,” he added, referencing the club’s wins over Fiorentina and Villarreal at St. James’ Park to lift the first ever Sela Cup.
Livramento said: “The way the manager plays football is really attractive and I feel like it suits me as a player. And with how well the team did last season, the trajectory that we’re on now, I’m just looking forward to being a part of that.
“And to be able to learn from Kieran Trippier is another big thing for me; hopefully he teaches me how to become a better player and a better full-back.”
Similar to Trippier, Livramento, full name Valentino but known as Tino for short, hopes the move will allow him to walk the road to full England honors.
“Everyone wants to play for their country, and being at this club helps. But it is down to me to train hard, work hard, and when I get the opportunity, show everyone what I can do,” he added.
Howe is, without doubt, delighted to get the player, who he has monitored for years, along with sporting director Ashworth, who came very close to signing Livramento for Brighton while he was at the south-coast club.
Howe said: “Tino is a very talented young player with an exciting future ahead of him, so we are delighted to sign him.
“At 20, he already has lots of attributes that I admire but he also has the potential and drive to really grow with this team. I’m looking forward to working with him and to seeing him develop in a Newcastle shirt.”
Livramento is expected to go straight into the Newcastle United squad for their first Premier League encounter of the season, when Aston Villa are the visitors to St. James’ Park on Saturday.
