According to The Express, Atalanta have told Newcastle United they’d be prepared to sell Duvan Zapata for considerably less than they were demanding just a few months ago.
With the Italians currently experiencing financial troubles, it’s now claimed that the Colombian will be allowed to leave for just £15m this summer.
The report states that ourselves and West Ham have been offered the chance to sign the prolific 31-year-old on a cut-price deal, after both showed interest in the player during the January transfer window.
A host of Italian outlets – along with Jacque Talbot at Football Transfers – suggested the Serie A side were holding out for £30m earlier this year, with another report suggesting we’d had a ‘loan-to-buy’ bid worth £25m rejected back in January.
Sky Sports also revealed on deadline day that the striker was under consideration after Hugo Ekitike opted to stay with Reims, so there’s been enough to suggest he is someone we’ve looked at.
£15m for a player of his pedigree could be deemed a bargain ,although it seems we are now pursuing younger alternatives, with 22-year-old Swede Alexander Isak said to be our top striker target, according to The Telegraph.
His age makes it unlikely, in my view, but I could only see us revisiting a deal for Zapata if it was a loan that would enable us to spend big on a right-winger like Moussa Diaby, as it seems we don’t have the budget to pull off permanent marquee signings in both positions.
Zapata has bagged an impressive 79 goals and 38 assists in 162 outings with Atalanta and could play at St James’ Park later this month, with the two clubs set to meet in a friendly on Friday, 29th July.
