Transfer expert Dean Jones says that there is a 'feeling' that Newcastle United target Marcus Thuram may be leaning towards a move to Italy.
The Lowdown: Inter Milan interest
As per 90min, Inter Milan are readying a contract offer for Thuram, who also has other clubs in Italy and the Premier League after him, including Newcastle.
The report adds that the St. James' Park outfit ‘are ready to try and tempt’ the Borussia Monchengladbach striker to join them in 2023 and will submit an offer ‘if the player shows a desire to make the move’.
It is also reported that ‘talks with Thuram’s representatives have been positive’, with Eddie Howe believing that Thuram ‘would be a good fit’ to his current squad.
The Latest: Thuram 'leaning' towards Italy
Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones says that there is a 'feeling' that Thuram is 'leaning' toward a move to Italy, amid interest from the Magpies:
“They do like Thuram and they are quite interested in that, they’re trying to gauge how serious the player is about coming to the Premier League.
“There’s a feeling among some that maybe he’ll be leaning towards going to Italy, so we’ll have to wait and see what his desire is to come to the Premier League, because at the moment that’s a little unclear.“
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The Verdict: Get it done
The North East club need to do everything that they can to try and persuade Thuram to move to Tyneside in this window, rather than to Italy.
With his contract expiring in the summer, the 25-year-old would be available for a cut-price, and to get a player of his quality on the cheap is surely no-brainer.
Hailed as 'world class' by Wolfsburg sporting director Marcel Schafer, and ‘a little crazy‘ by former team-mate Denis Zakaria, now in the Premier League with Chelsea, Thuram ranks in the top 4% for non-penalty xG, top 7% for dribbles completed and top 8% for shots of all strikers in Europe’s top five leagues over the past year (FBRef).
He boasts an impressive 13 goals and four assists in his opening 17 games for Gladbach in total over all competitions in the first part of the season (Transfermarkt), and is rated highly by both Howe and Allan Saint-Maximin, suggesting that he would be a perfect fit on Tyneside.