Newcastle United have turned their attention back to Italy as they search for a new right-back.
They have “inquired” about Fiorentina for their Brazilian full-back Dodô, according to Viola News (via Sport Witness).
The 27-year-old has entered the final year of his contract with the Serie A club.
Sport Witness reports that Newcastle are “competing” with Nottingham Forest for his signature, with both making contact with Fiorentina about him.
Dodô Set To Leave Fiorentina
Reports in Italy suggest that Dodô will leave Fiorentina this summer after failing to agree a new contract.
Fiorentina want to recoup some money, and are asking for around €16-17m (£13-14m).
That seems like a relatively cheap price for a player who has done well in Italy.
He has made 161 appearances in all competitions, scoring three goals, and played in two Conference League finals, the most recent being the 3-0 loss to Crystal Palace last season.
Fiorentina had a difficult season domestically, finishing 15th, but his performances helped them avoid relegation.
With Dodô unable to agree a new deal, Fiorentina want to cash in. Sport Witness says that they have signed Alex Jimenez, so Dodô is now surplus to requirements.
There is a possibility that he could stay in Italy, as Inter Milan, Juventus, and Napoli have all enquired about him, but nothing has yet come of any of those discussions.
As far as the Premier League goes, Newcastle and Forest are the only ones rumoured to be interested.
Newcastle may be at a slight disadvantage, however. Forest signed Nikola Milenkovic from the Italian club two years ago, and Sport Witness says that the two clubs have had a good relationship ever since.
Would Dodô Be a Good Fit for Newcastle?
Dodo is a very attack-minded full-back, which would fit with Eddie Howe’s high-press philosophy. He creates 87% more chances, and takes 60% more shots than other right-backs in Serie A.
He can also operate as a wing-back, and his speed and gung-ho attitude would make him popular with Newcastle fans.
One downside is his height – he is a diminutive 5’5 – which could make him vulnerable against bigger players.
Viola Nation describes him as a “high risk, high reward” player. Given Newcastle’s defensive fragilities last season, they will hope that the reward part outweighs the risk, if they were to sign him.
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Caroline Dowse
Caroline is the Newcastle United writer for Vital Football. She has a BA in English with Creative Writing from University Centre Peterborough, and a year's sports writing experience. Her favourite current Newcastle player is Bruno Guimaraes, favourite of all time is Alan Shearer. Her best Toon moment was the Carabao…