Lazio goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha is understood to be torn on the idea of joining Newcastle United this summer amid an internal power struggle.
Shot-stopper Strakosha has been linked with Newcastle for a long, long time now.
Back in 2019, Tuttomercatoweb reported that Newcastle were looking to bring Strakosha to the Premier League.
The rumours re-emerged in November, with The Sun claiming that Newcastle were back in for the Albanian international.
It was suggested that Newcastle were keen on a cash deal or even a pre-contract agreement – but January passed without a deal being struck.
Strakosha is still out of contract at the end of the season and can be signed for absolutely nothing.
Citta Celeste – a Lazio based website – report that Strakosha is ‘torn’ about a move to the Premier League with ‘strong’ interest coming from Newcastle.
Strakosha likes life in Rome but would also fancy playing in the Premier League, hence his difficulty making a decision.
There is also an international struggle inside Lazio; sporting director Igli Tare and president Claudio Lotito want to keep Strakosha.
However, manager Maurizio Sarri would prefer to move on from Strakosha and bring in Chelsea’s Kepa Arrizabalaga.
It’s fairly clear that Sarri isn’t a huge fan of Strakosha. He and Pepe Reina have split time under Sarri this season, Strakosha starting 17 league games and Reina 15.
For the good of Strakosha’s career, he may be better off leaving Lazio and moving on for a new challenge.
Newcastle would absolutely represent that opportunity, and Strakosha – hailed as ‘extraordinary’ in Italy – would surely become their first-choice goalkeeper.
Martin Dubravka’s future is unclear and Strakosha could come in as Eddie Howe’s new first-choice stopper moving forward.
That has to be appealing for Strakosha – certainly more so than being at the heart of an internal struggle at Lazio, where he wouldn’t really know if the manager wants him.
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