Newcastle United are interested in bringing Renan Lodi to the Premier League, while they also have a decision to make on Matt Targett.
According to Football Transfers, Newcastle United could explore bringing Renan Lodi to the Premier League, with a price upwards of €50 million already being quoted for the Brazilian left-back. The Magpies will have to decide on either signing the Atletico Madrid star or making Matt Targett’s loan move into a permanent one.
Newcastle United are poised for a huge summer window backed by the financial support from their Saudi-backed owners. Despite strong reports about a huge splurge, the Magpies will operate on a decent budget and only bring in necessary personnel.
It is understood that a new striker, central midfielder, defenders and a new goalkeeper are expected to arrive in the summer, as the club eyes a top-six finish. One of the areas of focus for Newcastle is a left-back, despite having the option to sign Matt Targett permanently for a fee of around €15 million.
The Aston Villa loanee has been splendid and helped shore up the Magpies’ backline. He is also making vital contributions in attack, and hence Newcastle United are considering making the move permanent. At €15 million, Targett has the potential to be a fine addition to the Tyneside outfit.
But, Newcastle are willing to sell Jamal Lewis, which would leave them thin in the left-back position. Hence signing Targett would be a no-brainer, but the club could look to sign another player as an additional option. One of the players under consideration is Atletico Madrid star Renan Lodi, who is reportedly open to a Premier League move.
The Magpies reportedly held talks with him during the January window but a move did not materialise. Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone considers the Brazilian a key part of his squad and would not be willing to sanction a move in the summer.
However, if the player asks to leave, then Atletico could demand over €50 million from suitors and certainly won’t back down if Newcastle are the team eager to take the left-back. Lodi offers a different profile than Targett, with the Brazilian a greater attacking threat than the Aston Villa loanee.
The different styles could be worth having in the team as Eddie Howe could shuffle between his options depending on the opponent they are playing. In games where they need to sit back and defend, Targett could be the man, while Lodi could be a terrific player when a bigger attacking outlet is needed.
Newcastle will have to make the important decision of whether to splurge a huge fee to bring the Atletico star, considering they will need funds to sign players in more important positions. Alternatively, they could sign Targett permanently and look for a cheaper backup left-back to the Aston Villa loanee in the next window.
