Newcastle want second Serie A signing as they battle Liverpool, Arsenal for Portuguese star
Newcastle United are interested in signing Napoli defender Giovanni Di Lorenzo, according to reports, after wrapping up a deal for Serie A opponent Sandro Tonali.
The Geordies are likely to announce the signing of Tonali later this week with his agent confirming an imminent medical ahead of a £55m move from AC Milan.
And now reports in Italy are claiming that Newcastle could already be eyeing another target from Serie A with Spazio Napoli insisting that the Magpies are ‘looking carefully’ at Napoli’s Di Lorenzo.
Interest from Newcastle in the 29-year-old defender ‘worries’ the Serie A club after Eddie Howe’s side acted fast to sign his Italy team-mate Tonali.
But Di Lorenzo is not the only defender Newcastle are being linked with Spanish publication AS claiming that the Magpies, Liverpool and Arsenal are all ‘trying to undertake’ a deal for Sporting Lisbon defender Gonçalo Inacio.
After Inacio was on Liverpool’s list in January, Jurgen Klopp and his transfer team will ‘again try to close’ a deal for the Portugal international this summer.
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The report adds that his time at Sporting ‘seems to be coming to an end’ with the Portuguese outfit now prepared to weigh up any offers around €45m.
There is already a lot of excitement surrounding Tonali’s imminent arrival and AC Milan team-mate Zlatan Ibrahimovic has tipped him to succeed at St James’ Park.
Ibrahimovic said: “Is he ready for the Premier League? Yes, I think so.
“Sure, it depends on him. I made him understand the right mentality he must have in order to win, and he won.
“He grew up a lot with Milan, he has a great responsibility and still has to grow, but in England he will do it, and he will do it well.”
Tonali’s compatriot and former West Ham attacker, Paolo Di Canio, reckons there is a lot more to come from the 23-year-old ahead of his move to Newcastle.
Di Canio told Sky Italia: “I hope Tonali explodes soon, but he will find a physical football, with more pace. Potentially he will replace [Sean] Longstaff.
“Tonali is accustomed to paying in a 4-2-3-1 system and will need to adapt [to 4-3-3] and understand. Newcastle have a clear view. They have signed an established player who has already won the Serie A. He is already a leader, he has played in the Champions League and Newcastle have the ambition to play at these levels for a long time.”
Di Canio added: “He won’t be a regular starter, there will be rotations and we can already predict it.
“Perhaps, he will become the captain and the leader in one year, but initially he will be one of the four-five midfielders that will rotate because the Premier League is very demanding and Newcastle will play in the most important competition in Europe.”
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