Just yesterday it was reported that Valentino Lazaro would opt for a move to RB Leipzig over Newcastle United, but the latest reports from Italy suggest we’re still in ‘pole position’ to sign him.
This comes popular Serie A Journalist Alfredo Pedulla (the man who first broke news of our interest last week), who writes in his latest ‘exclusive’ that Leipzig tried to ‘close the deal’ last night, but Newcastle have ‘maintained their advantage’ in the race for the Austrian ‘in the past few hours’.
He claims that Leipzig are preparing a new offer, but states that we are now ‘taking steps to close the deal quickly’, with a decision expected to be made one way or another tomorrow.
Here’s a snippet from his latest ‘exclusive’ on the future of the Inter Milan wing-back:
“It is not yet a closed game for Valentino Lazaro out of Inter, but the turning point is close.
“We told you about the strong insertion of Leipzig which tried to close last night. But in the past few hours Newcastle have maintained their advantage for the Austrian team. And it is taking steps to close the deal quickly to avoid a new relaunch of Leipzig.“
Interestingly, The Athletic reported the following on Lazaro last night when asked about the deal in their latest Q&A: “Inter Milan seem to favour the package offered by Newcastle so that may well sway things in the end, even if the player seems to favour a return to the Bundesliga.”
So, it feels like we’re offering better terms to Inter Milan – reports in Italy say we’re willing to pay the €20m purchase option at the end of any loan – but it also feels like Lazaro prefers a move back to the Bundesliga.
If RB Leipzig come back in with an improved offer it feels like he’ll end up in Germany, but it seems our hopes of signing the highly-rated 23-year-old aren’t over just yet..