Newcastle transfer news: Magpies made January move for PSG-bound star

Follow us on Google Discover

Newcastle United reportedly made an audacious attempt to sign Inter Milan defender Milan Skriniar in the January transfer window, with the centre-back’s agent rejecting the proposal ahead of a summer move to PSG.

According to Inter Live, the Magpies made an offer to sign Skriniar on a pre-contract agreement with the Slovakian international’s current deal with the Nerazzurri set to expire at the end of the season. However, the Serie A star has instead agreed to join PSG in the summer.

The Inter defender is regarded by many as a world-class talent and one of the best in his position in Europe, and Newcastle signing Skriniar would have been one impressive coup for Eddie Howe’s side given the immense reputation of the former Sampdoria star.

As per the report, Newcastle worked with intermediaries to try and get a deal finalised for the summer. However, the centre-back’s agent, Roberto Sistici, shot down any hope of the Magpies signing Skriniar for free at the end of the season, with PSG since reaching a full agreement.

Indeed, with Newcastle having the best defence in the Premier League this season, adding a player like Skriniar to their ranks ahead of their first European odyssey in over a decade would have been one impressive move from the northeast English side.

However, with PSG wrapping up a pre-contract agreement for Skriniar in quick succession, Newcastle will now need to find another world-class name to add to their squad in the summer, with the club’s PIF owners likely to go big in the upcoming window after a quiet January.

Newcastle signing Skriniar would have been outstanding business

With PSG winning the race for Skriniar, Newcastle somehow pipping the French giants to the Slovakian star would have been nothing short of incredible. Yet as we know, the defender will soon take his talents to Paris come the end of the season.

Whilst Newcastle are perhaps some years off from signing players as big as Skriniar, the fact that the Magpies are even attempting such moves is a testament to how confident the club now are in the market, with a superstar signing likely in the pipeline in the summer.