Newcastle United Target Davide Frattesi Amid Lazio Interest

Newcastle United have stepped into the race for Inter Milan midfielder Davide Frattesi, setting up a straight fight with Lazio for the Italy international, according to Corriere dello Sport.

The move comes as Newcastle reshape their midfield department ahead of Matthias Jaissle’s arrival. The club have been scouring the market for energy and goals from the middle of the park, and Frattesi fits that brief almost perfectly.

Newcastle’s first contact with Inter focused on a different name. They opened talks over promising youngster Aleksandar Stankovic, only to be told the Milan club would not entertain his departure. At that point, Inter steered discussions towards Frattesi, presenting him as a realistic and immediate opportunity.

Inter have set a €25 million price tag on the box-to-box midfielder as they look to generate quick funds.

Cristian Chivu, preparing for a title defence next season, views a permanent sale as a necessary step to trim his squad, cut the wage bill, and channel money into reinforcements.

Lazio, though, have been on the scene for some time. Gennaro Gattuso wants Frattesi to add legs and goals to his midfield, but the Roman side are operating under tighter financial constraints. Their proposal is built around an initial loan with a conditional option to buy, a formula that falls well short of Inter’s demands.

That gap hands Newcastle a clear edge. Buoyed by income from recent high-profile sales, the Premier League club can go straight in with a permanent offer that hits Inter’s asking price. On top of that, Newcastle enjoy a strong working relationship with Frattesi’s agent, Giuseppe Riso, a factor that could smooth talks at a crucial moment.

Frattesi, renowned for his late runs and eye for goal from midfield, is understood to be open to testing himself in the Premier League for the first time. He has been linked with Nottingham Forest in the past, but no move materialised.

Now Inter want a decisive sale. With the Italian champions ready to cash in and Newcastle positioned to meet the conditions, Frattesi has become a very real target for the Magpies.