Newcastle United are heading back to the UEFA Champions League in 2025/26 but the sensation of this summer being filled with top-quality signings is yet to emerge.
Frustration is starting to creep in as the club enter the final month of the transfer window with Eddie Howe and co struggling to complete key deals and they are still without a new centre back.
Howe has repeatedly emphasised the need for defensive reinforcements but there has been limited movement on Tyneside.
His current options, which include Sven Botman, Jamaal Lascelles, Fabian Schar and Dan Burn are either recovering from injury or on the wrong side of 30.
Lascelles and Botman are both coming back to fitness following ACL injuries, while Burn and Schar showed signs of physical decline last season.
With multiple competitions ahead, and the risk of overworking key players like Kieran Trippier again, Newcastle cannot afford another season without an injection of pace and youth at centre back.
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That has led them towards one of the most promising young centre backs in Serie A.
Newcastle target Serie A star as Milan giants and Juventus close in
According to Corriere dello Sport, Newcastle are exploring a move for 19-year-old Giovanni Leoni, who has quietly emerged as one of the top young defenders in the Italian top-flight.
After signing for just €7m [$8m] from Sampdoria last summer, Leoni made himself undroppable at Parma with a series of commanding performances, consistently keeping top strikers quiet and showing signs of elite potential.
He's also become a top defensive target for Inter Milan, especially after Cristian Chivu took charge and made it clear his profile fits the new direction he wants to take the team in.
AC Milan and Juventus have also registered interest in recent weeks but Inter Milan are the main challengers to Newcastle at this stage.
Parma are expected to demand at least €40m [$46m] to let him leave, given the level of interest, and that could cause an issue for Howe.
Alongside Newcastle, Liverpool, and Tottenham Hotspur have also made enquiries about the Serie A star, so speed off the mark could be crucial for the Magpies.
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