Newcastle United have reportedly been making enquiries about the situation of Nicolo Zaniolo, gathering information about a summer swoop.
According to TUTTOmercatoWEB, Newcastle United are set to reignite their interest in Galatasaray attacking midfielder Nicolo Zaniolo. The Magpies have made initial contact with the Turkish giants to learn more about a potential transfer operation this summer.
Zaniolo was heavily linked with a move to Tottenham and Juventus during the January transfer window. But after a long transfer saga that saw him excluded from the first-team picture at the Stadio Olimpico for trying to push through a big-money move, the 23-year-old ended up completing a move to Galatasaray in a €15 million deal.
The former Fiorentina youth player penned a contract with Galatasaray running until the summer of 2027. But after an impressive first few months in Istanbul, a number of suitors have already expressed an interest in striking a deal. The 23-year-old scored five goals in his first ten Turkish Super Lig starts, helping his team clinch the 2022/23 league title and make the Champions League qualifying rounds.
His performances seem to have alerted the likes of Tottenham and Juventus, who have been monitoring the player for several transfer windows. Now, having already brought promising Italian midfielder Sandro Tonali through the door, it seems Newcastle United have set their eyes on Zaniolo as Eddie Howe looks to add an Italian flavour to his midfield pack.
Galatasaray, for their part, are reluctant to let Zaniolo leave and have already turned down an offer worth €25 million from an unnamed club for him this summer. However, he is thought to have a release clause in his contract that, if activated, would effectively rule out the transfer fee negotiations with the Turkish club.
While there is a significant risk attached to signing the Italian international due to his shoddy injury history, he could be an exciting and influential addition to Newcastle. His technical attributes, physical strength, and ability to put up clutch performances make him an intriguing target.
Howe knows that they need to have not just a good starting eleven but also a strong squad if they want to go far in Europe and also maintain a high finish in the Premier League. That said, Zaniolo’s capture could hinder the development of young midfield stars like 20-year-old Elliot Anderson and 17-year-old Lewis Miley, both of whom have looked bright during the pre-season and could play a similar role next season.
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The report ends by stating that Zaniolo continues to attract interest from Italy. But the entry of Newcastle United into the fray could make Italian clubs’ tasks to bring him back to his home country much harder, while there’s also been serious interest over a lucrative move from Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Hilal in recent days.
