Having narrowly missed out on a place in Europe last season, with injuries harming Newcastle’s campaign, the Magpies hope to have a strong transfer window with several top players already linked with a move to the club.
Despite already signing four players so far this summer, the club have suffered some setbacks, including their failed attempts to lure Michael Olise to Tyneside. The former Crystal Palace winger opted to test himself in the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich instead.
Another player who has decided to move elsewhere is Bologna defender Riccardo Calafiori, who has favoured a transfer to Arsenal, according to Caught Offside.
Newcastle were said to be very keen on the Italian, but Calafiori quickly decided to reject all interest, with his eyes firmly set on a move to the Emirates Stadium.
Newcastle had shown interest in Calafiori
Riccardo Calafiori of Italy gestures during the UEFA EURO 2024 group stage match between Croatia and Italy at Football Stadium Leipzig on June 24, ...
Photo by Harry Langer/DeFodi Images via Getty Images
Newcastle are on the lookout for another central defender after Jamaal Lascelles and Sven Botman suffered ACL injuries.
It will see the pair miss the start of the new season, and Howe is eager to further bolster that area of the pitch, following the arrival of Lloyd Kelly on a free transfer from Bournemouth.
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Newcastle were among several clubs to show interest in Calafiori.
The defender has impressed for Italy during their Euro 2024 campaign, and it now appears Arsenal have won the race to sign the centre-back dubbed the ‘new Maldini’ by Don Hutchinson when appearing on ESPN.
Arsenal ‘agree personal terms’ with Calafiori
According to Fabrizio Romano, the Gunners have already ‘agreed personal terms’ with the highly-rated defender. It is of little surprise that Calafiori has attracted so much interest this summer given his obvious quality, which has seen him labelled as ‘extraordinary‘ by Gianluca Zambrotta previously.
It will come as a blow to Newcastle, who will now have to look at other centre-back targets to improve that area of the pitch ahead of the new season.
The Magpies have also shown interest in AC Milan’s £34m rated defender, Malick Thiaw. The club will hope to have more success in attracting the German international to Tyneside than they had with Calafiori.
Whether a deal can be done is uncertain, but Newcastle supporters will remain expectant of further arrivals before the season’s opener against Southampton on 17th August.
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