Newcastle United keeping tabs on defender despite being ruled out until mid-September

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Newcastle United reportedly have three centre-backs on their list of targets this summer, including Atalanta defender Giorgio Scalvini.

The summer transfer window is not going down exactly as Eddie Howe would have liked it to. Only one player has signed for the Magpies so far, while other targets have either been taken by other clubs or have had outlandish price tags slapped on them.

Newcastle United missed out on Joao Pedro to Chelsea, and after an initial bid, it looks like they will lose Hugo Ekitike to Liverpool.

However, the latter could have been a smokescreen to get Liverpool to sign Ekitike and avoid a deal for Alexander Isak, who Howe and PIF value highly.

The Magpies are also very eager to sign a centre-back, with Atalanta’s Giorgio Scalvini believed to be Newcastle’s top target. Two new names have arisen, but Howe and his recruitment team have been hit with an immediate roadblock, which could see a deal for one player already dead in the water.

• Who is Giorgio Scalvini? All you need to know about the ‘outstanding’ defender on Newcastle United’s radar

Nicolo Savona signed a new deal with Juventus amid Newcastle United interest

One of the players listed of interest to Newcastle was defender Nicolo Savona. The 22-year-old played predominantly as a right-back last season, but ended up playing as a centre-back for the final few games of the 2024/25 season.

Savona is 6ft 3inches, so he definitely has the capability of playing at centre-back much more often if trained there. However, there is an immediate problem which Newcastle will need to deal with if they do try and sign him this summer.

In June, Savona signed a long-term deal with Juventus, keeping him in Turin until 2030. His new contract will make his valuation skyrocket and make him less likely to agree a move to Tyneside this summer.

It remains to be seen how much Savona will be priced at this summer, but Juventus will surely be unwilling to sell a defender they believe will be up there with the best.

Additionally, Savona picked up an ankle injury when Juventus lost to Manchester City at the Club World Cup, and is not expected to return until mid-September. There is a high likelihood he would fail a medical even if a deal was agreed.

• READ MORE – Newcastle United target James Trafford drops social media hint after going unseen in Burnley camp

Newcastle United could use Lloyd Kelly to endorse a move for Nicolo Savona

With Dan Burn and Fabian Schar both aged 33, it is clear that Newcastle need to find their replacements this summer ahead of a return to the Champions League. Newcastle have Sven Botman as a replacement for Burn, but there is a more urgent need to replace Schar, given his age and the fact that he only has a year left on his contract.

As well as Savona, Newcastle are interested in signing Valencia defender Cesar Tarrega, who was scouted by the Magpies during the Under-21 European Championships last month.

The 23-year-old will be more likely to sign than Savona, as his contract only has three years remaining.

However, if Newcastle chose to pursue Savona, they could look to Lloyd Kelly as a middleman for the deal. The 26-year-old spent six months on Tyneside last season before joining Juventus, so he could work with his former club to convince Savona into a move.