Newcastle United, Napoli and Marseille are reportedly ready to go head to head in the race to sign AS Roma midfielder Jordan Veretout in the summer.
According to Calciomercato, Newcastle United are battling Marseille and Napoli for the signature of AS Roma star Jordan Veretout, with manager Eddie Howe keen to bolster his midfield options come summer.
Formerly of Aston Villa, Veretout has been with the Italian club since 2019, initially joining on loan from Fiorentina. His transfer was made permanent in 2020 on the back of impressive displays. Veretout began the season as a regular in AS Roma’s lineup under Jose Mourinho, as he started 21 of opening 22 Serie A games while missing only one through suspension.
However, he has struggled to get into the team in recent weeks, mostly having to come off the bench. The January loan arrival of Sergio Oliveira from FC Porto has made things complicated for the out-of-favour Frenchman. The Portuguese maestro operates in a similar role to Veretout and has already become one of the first names on the team sheet under Mourinho.
As per recent reports, Roma have already started planning for life without the 29-year-old next season. And there seems to be no shortage of suitors for the French international, with multiple clubs including Newcastle United, Marseille and Napoli keeping tabs on the player’s situation ahead of a potential summer swoop.
The Magpies are set to splurge the cash this summer after their big-money takeover. Veretout could be a great addition to Howe’s midfield roster and will provide a real attacking threat from the middle of the park, considering he boasts 37 goal contributions from 119 appearances for Roma. Moreover, the 29-year-old boasts great passing ability and has plenty of experience under his belt and is still at the peak of his powers.
Meanwhile, Marseille have long admired the talent of Veretout and were close to signing him on a season-long loan back when he was plying his trade for Aston Villa, but he joined fellow French side Saint-Etienne instead. With tactical mastermind Jorge Sampaoli building something special with Les Phocéens, Veretout might join the revolution at the Orange Velodrome.
Napoli, meanwhile, are apparently expecting a summer departure of star midfielder Fabian Ruiz, who is courting serious interest from the elite trio of Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Real Madrid. With the Spaniard into the final 15 months of his contract, the Naples outfit might be open to cashing in on him at the end of the season, making Veretout a like-for-like alternative.
There are also rumours that AC Milan and Inter are interested in securing the services of Veretout. But as it stands, Newcastle, Marseille and Napoli remain the likely destinations for the 29-year-old, who is under contract in Rome until 2024. Whether any of the clubs mentioned above do make a formal offer for the Frenchman remains to be seen.
