Newcastle eye Arthur Atta as potential Sandro Tonali replacement - Report
Newcastle United have previously been linked with a move for French midfielder Arthur Atta from Udinese.
Claims of a £30 million approach were made at the start of June, with Udinese considered likely to sell this summer.
The initial interest was reported by Il Messaggero Veneto, and it's the same outlet that has once again reported on Newcastle's interest.
The latest claims are that Newcastle are leading the race to sign the 23-year-old midfielder despite interest from Galatasaray.
Atta eyed as potential Tonali replacement?
On the surface, it all sounds well and good, but Il Messaggero Veneto claims that Atta would be the replacement for Sandro Tonali.
There is absolutely nothing right now to suggest that a move for Tonali is imminent, although Luke Edwards did suggest earlier this week that Newcastle insiders fear he will leave this summer, despite the huge price tag.
When we covered the initial reports, we felt that the Frenchman could be seen as a replacement for Joe Willock, who is expected to be sold before next season, but even he has shown no signs of movement as yet.
Reports from Italy are always taken with a pinch of salt
We're always sceptical when reports come from Italian media, and when they start throwing in Sandro Tonali, we lose even more faith, as they tend to be obsessed with the Italian being anywhere but Newcastle.
We're not saying there is no interest in Atta from Newcastle, as he ticks a few boxes in terms of age, profile and potential. But as of now, all the reports are coming from the Italian side, with nothing from these shores backing up those claims.
Newcastle are likely to be in the market for a No. 6 this summer, so a midfielder is on the list, but a more defensively minded one, which Arthur Atta is not.
Sport Witness, who covered this story, believes that Udinese may accept €30 million (£25.8m) for Atta, who has a release clause of €40m (£34.5m), which could be tempting. Right now, however, we remain unconvinced.
