Meeting Tonight – Sporting Lisbon Look To Get Ahead Of Everton And Newcastle United | OneFootball

Maurizio Lagana/Getty Images

Sporting Lisbon are set for a key meeting with Venezia tonight as they look to get to the front of the queue for Everton and Newcastle United target Issa Doumbia.

The 22-year-old played a significant role in Venezia’s Serie B triumph and the club’s automatic promotion to the top flight for next season.

Apart from one match missed through suspension and another appearance from the bench, Doumbia started every league game for the Italian outfit this season, netting eight times and registering six assists, figures that underlined his influence across the campaign.

In terms of goal involvement, Doumbia ranked third at Venezia despite operating from a central midfield role, further highlighting his impact.

The Italian attracted attention during the January window, with Aston Villa and Wolves exploring the possibility of a move, although Venezia maintained a firm stance to keep him in order to avoid disrupting their promotion push.

Attention has not gone away, with Everton and Newcastle both hugely keen and that Premier League interest has concerned Sporting Lisbon.

Sporting Lisbon now want to make sure they get ahead of the Premier League sides and are to have a meeting this evening with Venezia.

According to Italian journalist Nicolo Schira, Doumbia will be the subject of a meeting in Milan tonight between Sporting Lisbon and Venezia.

The Portuguese side are prepared to place a package worth €20m including bonuses on the table as they attempt to do a deal.

Whether Sporting Lisbon’s push will spur Everton or Newcastle into action remains to be seen.

The Toffees and the Magpies are both unlikely to secure European football, with only one round remaining and both sides sitting three points adrift of eighth place.

Everton are expected to strengthen in the summer and midfield is likely to be a focus, with Idrissa Gueye an ageing option in the engine room.

Newcastle meanwhile could lose Sandro Tonali as they bid to raise cash for fresh faces.

If Eddie Howe’s side miss out on a deal for Doumbia, they still have other central midfield options on their radar, with Danilo, who is also a priority target for Galatasaray, and Victor Froholdt, who has strong admirers among fellow Premier League clubs.