Manchester City’s chances of securing the services of Atalanta full-back Marco Palestra have been significantly boosted.
According to a report from Tuttomercatoweb, Marco Palestra is open to a move to Manchester City and would jump at the chance to join the Premier League giants. While Newcastle United are also keen on the signature of the Atalanta full-back, he would prefer joining Inter Milan over the Tyneside club.
The Italian outfit won’t accept anything less than €50 million, and even that might not be enough to strike a deal, following the arrival of Premier League clubs in the race for his signature.
Palestra, who has come up the ranks at Atalanta, spent the last season on loan at Cagliari in search of regular minutes. The 21-year-old full-back had quite an impressive campaign, as he was involved in 37 league games, racked up over 3,000 minutes and even contributed towards five goals.
He prefers playing as a full-back, but did an exceptional job as a wing-back during his spell away from Atalanta. Not only is he highly effective going forward, but the Italian international also has a strong defensive base. His impressive performances, maturity and massive potential have placed him on the radar of a number of top clubs.
Who will win the race for Palestra?
Inter Milan are keen on prising him away from Atalanta. They are looking at him as an ideal replacement for Denzel Dumfries, who is set to join Real Madrid. While they are keen on Palestra’s signature, striking a deal with their rivals won’t be straightforward. Their €50 million asking price makes things very difficult for them.
Meanwhile, Newcastle are also interested in acquiring his services. He could help them cope with the departure of Kieran Trippier, both in the short and long run. However, Palestra would prefer joining Inter over Eddie Howe’s team.
Manchester City are another English club that are keeping tabs on him. If they do end up making a move, the Premier League giants will certainly have the advantage over the suitors. Not only can they meet Atalanta’s demands, but the player would also love to join the Manchester-based giants.
They are yet to successfully replace Kyle Walker, and Palestra could help their cause. He could compete with Matheus Nunes for a place in the starting XI going forward.