Newcastle United have made Atalanta defender Giorgio Scalvini their top transfer target for the summer, but there are concerns over his recent injuries.
After finally conceding defeat in their pursuit of Marc Guehi, the Magpies are now looking abroad for their next centre-back.
It was reported in June that Newcastle United are interested in signing Giorgio Scalvini from Atalanta. The defender has impressed since his debut for the Serie A side at the age of 17 and is widely recognised as one of Europe’s most promising young defenders.
Scalvini dreams of playing in the Premier League. Those dreams will come true if the Magpies make a good enough offer for him this summer. Eddie Howe has ramped up his recruitment drive after a slow start to the transfer window, with Anthony Elanga set to join Newcastle if Nottingham Forest accept their recent £55million offer.
Now that the deal for Elanga looks to be getting over the line, Newcastle have turned their attention to Scalvini, who they value at around £30m. However, Atalanta are reluctant to sell Scalvini as they see him as a player who has a bright future with the club.
In the meantime, Newcastle have already made a plan for the young defender to ensure none of his recent injuries are proven to be problematic.
Giorgio Scalvini celebrates after Atalanta reach the Europa League final.
Photo by Image Photo Agency/Getty Images
Newcastle United will put Giorgio Scalvini through rigorous medical tests
Scalvini was limited to just eight Serie A appearances last season due to his injury problems. The Italian recovered from an ACL injury which kept him out of the 2024 European Championships. He then suffered a major shoulder injury in January, keeping him out for the remainder of the campaign.
According to the Northern Echo, Newcastle staff are well aware of his injury history and are fully prepared to put him through the wringer to ensure they will not cause any problems for his move.
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The report states that Newcastle, who may have to pay £40m for Scalvini, are spending the weekend speaking with Atalanta to make a deal for the central defender, who has already made 126 appearances in all competitions for the Bergamo-based club.
Additionally, Scalvini will be subject to “stringent” medical tests at Newcastle before confirming his signing. A boost from those insiders is that they are confident that his injury issues are behind him and he can make a major contribution on Tyneside.
At 6ft 4 inches, Scalvini would add another towering defender to Howe’s first-team squad, with the likes of Sven Botman and Dan Burn both recognised for their stature.
Giorgio Scalvini’s Newcastle United medical will be similar to Tino Livramento’s
Scalvini has already been capped eight times by the Italy national team, playing alongside Newcastle man Sandro Tonali on occasion. The signing of Scalvini would give Tonali another fellow countryman and a young player to mentor on Tyneside.
It comes as no surprise that Newcastle will be giving Scalvini a strict medical due to his injury problems. ACL injuries are becoming more common but more treatable year on year. Sven Botman recently returned from his ACL injury after a 10-month layoff and has looked great in the games he has played despite the severity of his problem.
Another player who has struggled with ACL problems is Tino Livramento. The 22-year-old spent over a year out after tearing his ACL in 2022, so when Newcastle signed him it was likely that they put him through similar medical tests that are planned for Scalvini.
Even with his problems from years ago many fans would never have thought he suffered because of how well he has performed with Newcastle since signing in 2023. The defender was arguably one of Newcastle’s best players of the 2024/25 campaign, helping the Magpies win the Carabao Cup and qualify for the Champions League while playing away from his natural position.
In June, Livramento won the Under-21 European Championships with England, showing his quality amongst a plethora of younger talent.