Newcastle likely to see £30m bid accepted to sign a Scalvini upgrade

Newcastle United are taking huge steps ahead within the switch market after a gradual begin to proceedings.

Regardless of securing Champions League qualification for this season, Eddie Howe didn’t rush into issues all through June, taking his time to evaluate potential targets to verify they’d be the suitable signing for Newcastle.

One in all their first signings appears to be like prefer it may very well be Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford. The Englishman will price the Magpies in extra of £30m, which is a report for an English goalkeeper.

Howe can be hoping the 22-year-old is value it. If he settles, there isn’t any motive why he can’t be the primary at St James’ Park for the following decade.

Moreover, a transfer for Nottingham Forest winger Anthony Elanga seems to be near completion. After having a gap bid for the Swede rejected, Howe got here again with a proposal value within the area of £55m.

This definitely seems as if will probably be accepted, giving the supervisor a major enhance relating to his attacking choices for subsequent season.

One space that he has but to bolster is his defence. Final season, the Toon conceded 58 targets in 48 matches. This works out as 1.2 targets conceded per match.

Ought to Howe look to go far within the Champions League and safe a top-five spot within the prime flight subsequent time period, enhancing that is very important.

As such, it seems as if he has made Atalanta defender Giorgio Scalvini his essential goal.

Why Newcastle are Giorgio Scalvini

It was reported a couple of days in the past by Scott Wilson of the Northern Echo that Newcastle could be spending the weekend attempting to safe a deal for Scalvini.

This got here after it was reported that the membership had made the defender their prime goal as Howe appeared to fend off curiosity from Chelsea and Tottenham to deliver the participant to St James’ Park.

He endured an injury-ravaged marketing campaign final yr, making solely eight appearances all through 2024/25 on account of struggling a severe cruciate ligament harm.

The season earlier than, nevertheless, noticed the teenager emerge as one of many most interesting Italian skills in Serie A.

In comparison with his positional friends within the top-flight of Italian soccer, he ranked within the prime 5% for profitable take-ons per 90, together with rating within the prime 11% for touches within the attacking penalty space, the highest 4% for interceptions and within the prime 16% for aerials gained per 90.

This reveals simply how efficient he was at each ends of the pitch for Atalanta, and he made a 45-minute cameo within the Europa League remaining in opposition to Bayer Leverkusen. His show rendered the likes of Florian Wirtz and Victor Boniface quiet throughout a chic 3-0 victory.

On the floor, he would make a tremendous signing. It seems as if he has returned to full health and will he settle in at Newcastle, Scalvini may very well be the way forward for their defence.

All the pieces will depend on the switch price that the Serie A facet are demanding, nevertheless. Whether it is too excessive, Howe might nicely stroll away from the deal.

Alternatively, might the membership go after one other centre-back? There’s one who could not price as a lot as Scalvini.

Newcastle eyeing Scalvini improve

With round £85m being spent on Trafford and Elanga this summer time, Howe will not have a lot left to additional bolster his squad.

After all, shifting a couple of gamers on will assist, however there isn’t any doubt the supervisor goes to should be good in terms of recruitment.

In keeping with Soccer Insider, the Magpies have earmarked Marseille defender Leonardo Balerdi as a possible different to Scalvini. The report additionally goes on to state that ought to a proposal of £30m be made, it’s prone to be accepted.

The Argentinian is the membership captain on the French giants, though with Scalvini doubtlessly costing across the £60m mark, a transfer for the Marseille star is definitely the extra engaging one, definitely from a monetary viewpoint anyway.

May Balerdi be a greater signing than the younger Italian? His wealth of expertise in European soccer suggests so.

The eight-cap Argentine made his mark at Boca Juniors, however it wasn’t lengthy earlier than Borussia Dortmund snapped him up in 2019.

He ended up that includes simply eight occasions for the Bundesliga facet, however a transfer to Ligue 1 5 years in the past has seen Balerdi push on and turn out to be a wonderful centre-back.

Attributable to Scalvini’s harm points final season, it’s best to check the 2 centre-backs for his or her statistics all through the 2023/24 marketing campaign.

That season, Balerdi succeeded with 86% of his passes, averaged 1.9 interceptions, and a couple of.9 tackles and gained a formidable 6.2 whole duels per sport – successful price of 64% – in Ligue 1.

Comparatively, Scalvini succeeded with 82% of his passes, whereas averaging 1.8 interceptions, 1.6 tackles and successful 4.8 whole duels per sport – successful price of 56% – throughout his Serie A marketing campaign.

Moreover, Balerdi misplaced possession fewer occasions (9.6 vs 10) than Scalvini, whereas additionally recovering extra balls (6.2 vs 4.9) and making extra clearances per sport (3.1 vs 2) of their respective league seasons.

These statistics point out that the Marseille defender may nicely be the higher signing, particularly contemplating he additionally has loads of expertise within the Champions League.

“A unprecedented participant” within the phrases of supervisor Roberto De Zerbi, there’s an argument to be made that the participant has but to achieve his peak.

This might definitely be achieved at Newcastle, particularly as he could be a assured starter on the coronary heart of the defence.

Scalvini is an excellent prospect for the longer term. However for the right here and now, Balerdi have to be the precedence.