Newcastle United Targeting Davide Frattesi from Inter Milan

Newcastle United have stepped into the race for Inter Milan midfielder Davide Frattesi, going head-to-head with Lazio for his signature, according to Corriere dello Sport.

The move comes as Newcastle reshape their midfield ahead of Matthias Jaissle’s arrival. The club had initially opened talks with Inter over highly rated youngster Aleksandar Stankovic, but that path quickly closed when the Italian side made clear he would not be leaving. Inter then steered Newcastle towards a different opportunity: Frattesi.

Inter have put a €25 million price tag on the Italy international as they look to generate immediate funds.

Cristian Chivu views a permanent sale of the dynamic box-to-box midfielder as a necessary step to trim his squad, cut the wage bill, and create room to reinvest before defending the Serie A title next season.

Lazio, meanwhile, have been working on a deal of their own. Gennaro Gattuso wants Frattesi to add drive and goals to his midfield, but the Roman club are operating from a weaker financial position. Their proposal is limited to an initial loan with a conditional option to buy, a structure that falls well short of Inter’s demands.

That imbalance opens the door for Newcastle. Buoyed by funds from recent high-profile departures, the Premier League side are in a position to go straight in with a permanent offer that matches Inter’s valuation. Their hand is strengthened further by a positive relationship with Frattesi’s agent, Giuseppe Riso, which could help smooth talks if negotiations accelerate.

Frattesi, renowned for his late runs and goalscoring threat from midfield, is understood to be open to a Premier League switch for the first time in his career, having previously been linked with Nottingham Forest.

With Inter intent on a clean sale and Newcastle ready to act, Frattesi has moved from a distant name on a list to a concrete target on Tyneside.