Contact made - Italian media make fresh Newcastle United transfer claim as £35m midfielder set to depart
Newcastle United transfers: Reports from Italy are linking the Magpies with a £35million-rated midfielder.
Newcastle United have been linked with a move for Udinese midfielder Arthur Atta, according to sources in Italy.
Naples based newspaper, Il Mattino, claim Newcastle and Brighton are among the clubs interested in the 23-year-old, with the Magpies reportedly ‘making contact’ over the weekend.
Serie A side Napoli have also been linked with a move for the 6ft 2in former France Under-21 international, who is valued at £35million by Udinese.
Atta made 30 appearances for the Italian club last season, scoring six goals. But there are growing reports from Italy that he will be on the move this summer, with Il Mattino’s report claiming that he could be available for less than £35million.
Newcastle are looking to get business done quickly this summer, having already agreed the £70million sale of Anthony Gordon to Barcelona last week.
With uncertainty over the futures of Joe Willock and Sandro Tonali in the Newcastle midfield, further reinforcements in that area over the summer are to be expected.
But the noise surrounding Atta from the moment is exclusively from Italy and intermediaries, suggesting that the player is angling for a summer move, though the destination is not yet clear.
Newcastle United summer signings?
It’s still over a fortnight until the summer transfer window officially opens for Newcastle but no deals are thought to be close at this moment in time.
The club are set to be in the market for a goalkeeper this summer with John Ruddy and Aaron Ramsdale both leaving the club. Newcastle have tried and failed to sign James Trafford in each of the last two summer transfer windows as they eye a long-term replacement for Nick Pope, who is out of contract next summer.