Nottingham Forest's Anthony Elanga
Nottingham Forest's Anthony Elanga
Newcastle United kick off their preparations for the new season this week, with pre-season training set to get underway.
Off the pitch, it appears transfer business is finally beginning to gather momentum, amid growing links to both Anthony Elanga and James Trafford. That said, neither deal has been agreed or confirmed as yet, so there’s still plenty of work to be done at St James’ Park.
Having secured football and lifted the Carabao Cup last term, the 2025/26 campaign will be a crucial one for Newcastle as they look to cement their place as a European regular, and perhaps even a title contender. Their ability to achieve that over the coming years will, in part, depend on getting their transfer business right.
With that in mind, here’s the latest transfer news and rumours from in and around St James' Park...
Newcastle United face 'competition' for top target
A report this week from named Atalanta centre-back Giorgio Scalvini as a top target for Newcastle this summer. is keen to strengthen his backline, having missed out on Marc Guehi last year, and the 21-year-old appears to be the club’s priority defensive signing.
However, the Magpies are not alone in their pursuit. While earlier reports hinted at interest from other English clubs, has now named Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham as fellow admirers of Scalvini.
Adding to that several top Italian clubs, including Napoli, Inter Milan and Juventus, have also been linked. The report states Atalanta will demand a fee in the region of £52 million, with Scalvini under contract for another three years.
Chronicle Live says: The reported fee is significantly higher than the £30m figure initially floated earlier this week. If Atalanta stand firm on their valuation, it remains to be seen whether Newcastle would want to meet that price. Still, the club’s clear need for a new centre-back may strengthen their case with the player, especially since many of their rivals for his signature can also offer Champions League football.
Elanga update emerges
As previously mentioned, Newcastle appear to be stepping up their summer business, with Nottingham Forest winger Elanga now a key target. Reports in the past week have claimed Forest have accepted a bid, and a move for the 23-year-old is edging closer.
According to the , an agreement is indeed close, but the deal remains complicated. While some details are still being ironed out, there is optimism that it will be finalised.
Chronicle Live says: Understandably, Newcastle fans are eager to see progress on this deal. The latest update is encouraging as there’s no indication that the move is in danger of collapsing. As is often the case with big money transfers, the finer details take time to resolve.
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