Newcastle United want Renan Lodi – and Atletico Madrid now seemingly believe that the left back is set to push for a move away.
Newcastle signed a left back during the January transfer window as Matt Targett arrived on loan from Aston Villa.
The Magpies have a £15million purchase option in Targett’s loan deal and the Englishman has done well in a Newcastle shirt.
The problem for Targett is that Newcastle may aim a little higher by instead going for Brazilian star Lodi.
Newcastle want Renan Lodi
Rumours linking Newcastle with Lodi first emerged in January as reports in Spain suggested that the Magpies were chasing a late deal.
That didn’t happen in the end but Lodi has remained on the Newcastle radar.
Globo Esporte back in Lodi’s native Brazil have reported that the Atletico ace has decided he would like to join Newcastle.
Mundo Deportivo have another update and they claim that Atletico don’t plan to offer any discounts.
Atletico allegedly want Lodi’s full €60million (£51.5million) release clause and don’t want to negotiate any cheaper.
However, the report claim that Atletico are aware that Lodi may want a change of scenery at the end of the season.
Lodi wants to be a more important player and that isn’t going to happen at Atletico.
The 24-year-old only started 13 La Liga games this season and clearly wants more.
Newcastle would be able to give Lodi that starring role whilst also handing him a couple of reunions.
Lodi played with Kieran Trippier at Atletico Madrid, a full back who actually did get the move from Spain to Newcastle.
Going back even further, Lodi played with Bruno Guimaraes at Atletico Paranaense and the pair remain close friends.
That could be very appealing for Lodi, but it’s up to Newcastle to come up with what looks like being an enormous fee for the left back.
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