Newcastle United Amongst ‘Premier League Trio’ After ‘Monstrous’ Midfielder | OneFootball

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Newcastle United are amongst the clubs to have made a move for Udinese star Arthur Atta, who has been hailed as a ‘monstrous’ midfielder due to his performances in Serie A.

Eddie Howe’s side are preparing for next season without European football after finishing 12th in the Premier League, ending the campaign four points adrift of even a Conference League place.

The Magpies finished 17 points behind their tally from the previous season, underlining the scale of the decline they have experienced this season – but they are sticking with Howe.

The absence of European football could complicate matters in the transfer market for Newcastle and potentially place uncertainty around the futures of several important figures within the squad, with sales expected.

Speculation has already surrounded a potential departure for Sandro Tonali, something the Magpies would ideally prefer to avoid, although whether they would be able to resist serious interest remains open to question.

One midfield target has already slipped away with Issa Doumbia now close to completing a move to Sporting Lisbon, while another situation has developed more favourably for Newcastle after Danilo recently rejected an offer from Zenit St Petersburg.

The Tyneside outfit have also shown strong interest in Victor Froholdt, although Liverpool and Arsenal have entered the picture for the midfielder as well.

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According to Italian outlet Tutto Mercato Web, Newcastle are one of a ‘Premier League trio’ in the hunt for Udinese’s Atta, with offers suggested to have been made.

The Magpies, with Bournemouth and Brighton & Hove Albion, are suggested to have made proposals of €30m to take Atta to England.

Both the Cherries and the Seagulls possess the advantage of European football to place in front of the Frenchman, something that could become a concern for Howe’s side during negotiations.

The 23-year-old already attracted interest from Fulham in the January transfer window, though Udinese rejected a €20m proposal as they were unwilling to part ways with one of the more influential figures in their squad during the season.

But the situation is expected to be different in the summer market and Atta’s stock has only continued rising.

The versatile midfielder finished with the third-highest goal involvement tally across the entire Udinese squad this season, further reinforcing why he is increasingly becoming a name to watch heading into the summer transfer window.

Several Italian clubs have also been linked with Atta and whether Newcastle can emerge from an increasingly competitive race, convincing the Frenchman despite the absence of European football, remains to be seen.