Newcastle begin Champions League preparation as Howe looks to hijack Man Utd move for World Cup winner
Newcastle United are reportedly eyeing a cut-price move for Roma attacker Paulo Dybala, who is open to joining a Premier League club this summer.
The World Cup winner has been in excellent form in the Serie A recently, but now, it seems likely Jose Mourinho could lose his star man.
However, Newcastle are just one of several top clubs eyeing a move for Dybala, so they will face competition for his signature.
The Magpies are absolutely flying under Eddie Howe. They currently sit in third place in the Premier League table and are on track for their best season since 2003.
Attacking players such as Callum Wilson – who scored a brace against Southampton on Sunday – along with Miguel Almiron, Joelinton, Alexander Isak and others, have been key to their success.
However, despite their excellent form, Howe is keen to add several ‘elite’ players to his squad ahead of next season, as he plans for life in the Champions League.
Now, according to a report from CMW, Newcastle are eyeing an ambitious move for Dybala, who has consistently shown his quality in Italy.
This season, the attacker has scored 11 goals in 23 league appearances for Roma, as well as contributing seven assists. This gives him an outstanding average of 0.78 goal contributions per game.
A versatile player, Dybala has the ability to play as a winger on either flank, as a second striker or as an attacking midfielder. With that in mind, he could provide cover in a number of areas for Howe this season.
Dybala could be available for a cut-price fee this summer, too. It’s believed that the Argentine has a release clause of just €12 million (£10.6m) in his current contract.
If Newcastle trigger that clause and convince him to head to St. James’ Park this summer, they could secure one of the bargains of the season.
However, as noted by Football365, Manchester United are also interested in making a move for Dybala, so the Magpies will have to battle to get a deal done.
Dybala has won 14 major trophies during his esteemed career, so could be exactly the type of player Newcastle need to take them to the next level. He also has plenty of experience playing in the Champions League, too.
With that in mind, it will be interesting to see if the Magpies can beat Man Utd to his signature this summer.
