Newcastle United are reportedly interested in signing Duvan Zapata from Atalanta and have tabled a €30 million bid for the Colombian hitman.
According to the Daily Record, Newcastle United have held talks with Atalanta for Duvan Zapata and have offered a fee in excess of €30 million for the Colombian international as Eddie Howe wants even more attacking firepower at his disposal. The 30-year-old striker is one of several high-value transfers Newcastle’s wealthy owners are scrambling to complete by the end of this month.
The Toon have already splashed the cash to sign a striker and a full-back in Chris Wood and Kieran Trippier earlier this month. But it appears Howe wants another centre-forward and a left-back, with the club actively looking to raid Serie A side Atalanta for reinforcements. Newcastle have already offered a lucrative deal to Robin Gosens, and it seems his Atalanta teammate Duvan Zapata is also on their radar.
Formerly of Napoli and Sampdoria, Zapata is in his fourth season with Atalanta and has been a goalscoring revelation ever since arriving in Bergamo back in 2018, originally on loan. In total, Zapata has scored 78 goals in 152 appearances for La Dea across all competitions. He has been a vital part of Gian Piero Gasperini’s side’s remarkable success both domestically and on the European stage in recent seasons.
The 30-year-old has developed a name for himself as one of the most lethal strikers in Europe. Featuring in both Serie A and the Champions League, the striker has netted 12 goals and provided 7 assists so far this term. In a huge boost for Newcastle, Zapata is said to be open to the idea of swapping European football for a relegation scrap with the Magpies should they reach an agreement with Atalanta.
Newcastle’s defensive issues have been well-documented this season, but they are not fairing much better at the other end of the pitch, having scored just 20 times in 20 top-flight games. With Callum Wilson out for the foreseeable future with a calf injury, Wood and Allan Saint-Maximin are the only players on their roster with two or more goals in the Premier League this season.
Signing a proven goalscorer like Zapata could prove to be a masterstroke if the Colombian powerhouse helps them retain their Premier League status. He is the perfect combination of mobility, blistering pace, strength, technical ability, and goalscoring impetus. Having said that, the Colombian hitman is 30 years old and would only be a short-term fix, which is not ideal for squad building, especially after Wood’s arrival.
As per the same source, Zapata is a backup option if they fail to sign Darwin Nunez from Benfica. The 22-year-old is an exciting forward with plenty of potential, but with Benfica demanding a hefty transfer fee of around €60 million, the Magpies are apparently reluctant to break the bank to pay the exorbitant amount for the Uruguayan international.
Zapata is contracted with Atalanta until 2023. As things stand, the Serie A giants are open to offers from interested parties for their prized striker. However, they are looking for a bid in the region close to around €45 million. It remains to be seen whether Newcastle will go for the established striker in Zapata or will turn to a younger alternative like Nunez.
