According to reports from The Times, Newcastle United have identified Giorgio Scalvini, the promising defender from Atalanta and the Italian national team, as their primary defensive target for the upcoming summer transfer window.
The 21-year-old is regarded as one of Italy`s most exciting defensive prospects. However, his recent career has been significantly impacted by injuries over the past twelve months.
Scalvini suffered a cruciate ligament injury towards the end of the previous season, which unfortunately led to him missing the European Championship with Italy. Although he briefly returned to action later in the year, bad luck struck again as a shoulder injury forced him to miss the latter part of the most recent campaign.
Despite these fitness setbacks, the report indicates that manager Eddie Howe considers Scalvini his top priority for defensive reinforcement this summer.
Scalvini is seen as a potential long-term addition to the squad, possibly replacing experienced defenders like Dan Burn and Fabian Schär, both of whom are 33 years old. The potential transfer fee for the young Italian is reported to be around £30 million, which is approximately €35 million.
A product of Atalanta`s acclaimed youth system, Scalvini has already made 89 appearances in Serie A, finding the net four times. He has also represented the Italian senior national team on eight occasions since making his debut in 2022.
