Signing a new centre-back this summer would make a ton of sense for Newcastle United. They have an ageing backline at the moment. Both Dan Burn and Fabian Schar are 34 years of age. And Sven Botman has dealt with plenty of injuries since joining the club.
So, adding another option in the heart of defence is not the worst idea in the world. Over the past few weeks, there has been all this talk about signing Fikayo Tomori from AC Milan. But he is not the only option that the Magpies appear to have on their radar.
In fact, it looks like they have another highly-rated centre-back from Serie A itself. He is someone who is much younger than Tomori. And while he is good enough to come in and immediately play, he would hold more long-term value as well.
Newcastle United in pole position to sign Italian centre-back
According to a report from Sebastien Vidal, Newcastle United are in pole position to sign Giorgio Scalvini. The Magpies are advancing on a transfer estimated at €45 million to bolster their central defensive options.
Deprived of the Champions League, Atalanta could accept the transfer of Scalvini this summer in order to rebalance the club’s finances.
Of course, Scalvini is just 22 years of age. That would be in line with the strategy that the Magpies have adopted this summer. The oldest of their four signings in this window is 20.
But at the same time, Scalvini has some impressive experience under his belt as well. He has made 137 appearances for Atalanta already and also played eight times for the Italian national team.
So, Scalvini is not someone you would view as a ‘project’ signing. Instead, he is a player who would have expectations on his shoulders to be the starter for Newcastle United.
Scalvini or Tomori, who would be a better signing?
Of course, both moves would have their pros and cons. One could argue that he has a higher ceiling than Scalvini. We have already seen the heights that Tomori can reach in this game. There is a chance that the Italian can go beyond them.
Obviously, Scalvini has youth on his side as well. He is 22 years of age and could be a starter for Newcastle United for over a decade.
On the other hand, Tomori is 28 and will turn 29 in December. So, it is safe to say that he is not going to have the long-term value that Scalvini does.
At the same time though, Tomori is a much more proven defender. He also has experience in the Premier League, having come through Cobham and broken into senior football at Chelsea.
So, if the Magpies did end up signing Tomori, it is going to be a much ‘safer’ signing in a way. Also, one cannot overlook the fact that he is believed to be available for around €20 million, which is less than half of what it would take to sign Scalvini.
