It’s not been the best of seasons for Newcastle United, with Sven Botman’s long-term injury just the latest to befall the Magpies.
Had Eddie Howe’s side been at their strongest for much of the 2023/24 campaign, there’s no telling how close they may have come to winning some long-overdue silverware.
As it is, they’re long since out of the Champions League and the domestic cup competitions, and are going to find it incredibly difficult to get themselves back into Europe for next season.
At present, Newcastle are in 10th place on 40 points, 13 behind Tottenham Hotspur in fifth and 16 behind Aston Villa in fourth.
Newcastle looking at Scalvini as replacement for Botman
It may well be that the best they can hope for at this point is a potential spot in next season’s Europa Conference League which will be, with respect, a huge disappointment.
Furthermore, the lack of top European opposition isn’t likely to be the best selling point for the club, keen as they are to attract the cream of footballing talent to St. James’ Park.
One player that they have their eye on according to Give Me Sport (h/t Fichajes) is Atalanta’s £52m-rated centre-back, Giorgio Scalvini.
At just 20 years of age, the defender is already making a real name for himself in Serie A, and whilst he has a contract with Atalanta until 2028, it would seem that he is for sale at the right price.
Newcastle have to be aware of their Financial Fair Play concerns of course, though they could offload a handful of fringe players this summer in order to be able to compete for the likes of Scalvini.
Howe and the Saudi Public Investment Fund will no doubt be hoping for a change of luck ahead of the 2024/25 campaign, and the chance for the Magpies to once again put themselves on the map domestically as well as in Europe.