According to Gianluca Di Marzio, Rennes have decisively overtaken Newcastle in the race for Juventus defender Daniele Rugani.
Di Marzio’s report states that a €1.5 million (£1.36 million) loan fee will be paid by the Ligue 1 side, who will also be paying the 7-cap Italy international’s wages in full.
Should this news be accurate, it will signal another transfer heartbreak for Steve Bruce as he searches for a new centre-back.
The Northern Echo confirmed that it looked likely that Arsenal’s Rob Holding would join Newcastle earlier into the window.
However, injuries to Mikel Arteta’s defence led to the Spaniard changing his mind, and the Englishman will now remain in north London.
Di Marzio’s report is a real shame. Rugani is a player of great pedigree having spent his entire career at Juventus, only leaving on a temporary basis to join Maurizio Sarri’s Empoli on a two-year loan deal in 2013.
In Turin, he has gained Champions League experience and also the taste of silverware, winning five Serie A titles while also being named in the Serie A Team of the Year in 2015.
Rugani would’ve provided brilliant competition to Fabian Schar, Federico Fernandez, Jamaal Lascelles and Ciaran Clark, but it sadly looks like we might lose out in this particular transfer race.
Receive a digest of our best Newcastle content each week direct to your mailbox
