Newcastle United are now ready to make a €35m (£30m) bid to sign Galatasaray midfielder Nicolo Zaniolo, with an official offer expected to arrive at some point this week, according to reports from Turkey.
What's the latest Newcastle transfer news?
With the new Premier League season rapidly approaching, Newcastle's main target in the transfer market appears to be a defender, with transfer expert Fabrizio Romano recently telling GiveMeSport: “I would keep an eye on a centre-back after Barnes, I think a centre-back could be a possibility.”
However, the Magpies are still being linked with moves for some attacking targets, including Napoli star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, however journalist Ben Jacobs is sceptical about whether a deal will be possible this summer.
Juventus' Federico Chiesa is another potential option for Eddie Howe, with it now being reported that an offer of €50m (£43m) plus bonuses could soon be on its way, although the St James' Park outfit will face stiff competition from Aston Villa.
According to reports from Turkey (via Sport Witness), Newcastle are also expected to make an official offer to sign Zaniolo at some point this week, having been convinced by his performances for Galatasaray in the Turkish Super Lig.
There may be competition for the attacking midfielder's signature, however, as RB Leipzig are named as potential suitors, with Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal also said to be in the race.
The Magpies are actively trying to convince the 24-year-old to make the switch to St. James' Park, and they are now ready to pay Galatasary €35m (£30m) to get the deal over the line.
With Sandro Tonali already making his way to Tyneside this summer, Newcastle are now working on signing his compatriot, and it appears as though we can expect more news on their pursuit later this week.
How many goals has Nicolo Zaniolo scored?
The Italian scored 24 goals in 128 appearances for AS Roma, during which time he was lauded as "devastating" by manager Jose Mourinho, who also added that he is "always tough to handle" for the opposition.
However, the former Roma man asked to leave during the January transfer window, much to the disappointment of Mourinho, going on to join Galatasaray, where he has scored five goals in ten Turkish Super Lig appearances.
The Massa-born maestro clearly offers a threat in front of goal, however there are question marks over whether he would be a worthwhile addition for Newcastle, considering he is quite poor at setting up opportunities for his teammates.
Over the past year, the Italy international ranks in just the 14th percentile for assists per 90, when compared to his positional peers, and in the 30th percentile for shot-creating actions.
Not only that, the Galatasaray ace scores poorly on almost all defensive metrics, placing in just the seventh percentile for tackles, and in the 15th for interceptions over the same time period.
Now they have Champions League football on offer, Newcastle can attract far better players than Zaniolo, and they should pursue other targets this summer.