Arsenal and Newcastle United ready to make a move for 23-year-old Serie A striker- Reports
Arsenal and Newcastle United are reportedly interested in a move for Gianluca Scamacca. The 23-year-old has caught the attention of a number of Europe's top clubs thanks to his performances for Sassuolo this season.
According to TEAMtalk, the Italian was close to joining Inter Milan, but the deal failed to materialize as Simone Inzaghi's side were reluctant to meet Sassuolo's price tag.
Fiorentina were linked with a move for Scamacca, who they viewed as a replacement for Dusan Vlahovic. Vlahovic left the Florence-based club to join Juventus in January. The Serie A club, however, signed Krzysztof Piatek on loan from Hertha Berlin in January.
Arsenal and Newcastle United are reportedly set to join the race to sign Scamacca. The Italy international spent two years with PSV Eindhoven's youth academy before joining Sassuolo in 2017.
Scamacca rose to prominence during his loan spell with Genoa last season, for whom he scored 8 goals in 26 Serie A appearances.
He returned to Sassuolo last summer and has taken his performances to another level this season. The youngster has scored 13 goals in 28 league appearances for the Italian club. The 23-year-old has been lauded for his versatility and well-rounded game. He is expected to make the move to one of Europe's top clubs in the near future.
Arsenal are desperate to sign a top-quality striker this summer. The Gunners failed to sign an adequate replacement for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang after parting ways with the striker by mutual consent in January.
The club are also preparing themselves for the potential departure of Alexandre Lacazette. The Frenchman's contract is set to expire at the end of the season.
The Gunners have been linked with a number of forwards, including the likes of Victor Osimhen, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, and Alexander Isak in recent months. Gianluca Scamacca could, however, prove to be a cheaper alternative to the aforementioned players as reports suggest Sassuolo will demand a fee in the region of €40 million for the Italian.
Newcastle United have been in incredible form in recent times, winning six of their last nine Premier League games. The club are therefore likely to back Howe financially during the summer transfer window to continue their progress under the former Bournemouth boss.
Newcastle signed Chris Wood from Burnley for £25 million in January to bolster their attack. The New Zealand international has endured a difficult start to life at St James' Park, scoring just one goal in 10 league appearances. The club are therefore expected to prioritize signing a top-quality forward this summer.
Arsenal and Newcastle United could lose out to Inter Milan in the race to sign Gianluca Scamacca
Gianlucca Scamacca is reportedly keen to stay in Italy. He is believed to have reached an agreement over a €2 million-per-year contract with Inter Milan, and could therefore be set to reject the advances of Arsenal and Newcastle United. The Serie A giants view Scamacca as a potential replacement for Lautaro Martinez.
According to FootballToday, Martinez has been heavily linked with a move to Atletico Madrid and Arsenal. The 24-year-old led Inter Milan to its first Scudetto in 11 years last season.
He has continued his impressive form this season, scoring 14 goals in 27 league appearances. His contract with Inzaghi's side is set to run until 2026. Inter Milan's difficult financial situation could, however, force the club to sell Martinez this summer.
Reports suggest the club are willing to sell him for just £59 million this summer. The reigning Serie A champions could use the funds from the Argentine's potential sale to fund a move for Gianluca Scamacca.