Some rather strange claims have emerged from Italy today, with Tuttosport claiming that Newcastle could be ready to offer Aleksandar Mitrovic to Serie A side Torino in a bid to land previously linked midfielder Afriyie Acquah in January.
According to Tuttosport, Newcastle are interested in signing the Ghanaian ( and not for the first time after being linked with him in the sumner) and could offer Mitrovic as part of a potential swap deal.
Both players have struggled for game time this season, and the story states that both players could be keen on the move in a bid to earn regular first team football.
#NUFC are reportedly interested in #Torino’s Afriyie Acquah, and could send Aleksandar Mitrovic in exchange. https://t.co/oKNO2QAI4d pic.twitter.com/AHaquMX1J1
— footballitalia (@footballitalia) December 14, 2017
Mitrovic has played just 89 minutes of Premier League football all season, being without a single start and having been axed from the squad entirely last night.
Acquad is a powerful defensive midfielder, with it being claimed that Benitez is keen to add some steel to his midfield last month after Isaac Hayden and Mo Diame have failed to take their chance in the team so far this season.
The 25-year-old Ghanaian has only made a handful of starts for Torino himself so far this season, but was believed to have been courted by Juventus over the summer after his impressive performances last season.
I’m not convinced about this one, but with Mitrovic likely to be sold and Acquah a player we appear to hold interest in, you never know. It would leave us very short in the striker department however – I suspect a swap deal would be far more suited if we were receiving a striker in return.
Here’s Acquah in action:
