Premier League outfit Newcastle United failed with a £21 million bid for Sassuolo’s Italy international during the January transfer window, according to Tuttosport.
As Roberto Mancini mourned the death of his World Cup dreams, in the aftermath of last week’s shock defeat to North Macedonia, the Azzurri boss probably could have done without his own mother questioning his squad selection in the media.
“I would have called up (Mario) Balotelli,” Mrs Mancini told Radio Uno. “He has incredible physical strength and, in front of goal, nobody can stop him.”
Thanks Mum. Really helpful.
Mancini’s decision to leave his former Manchester City and Inter Milan starlet out of Italy’s squad for the World Cup play-offs certainly sparked plenty of debate. And not just around the Mancini dinner table.
Balotelli has been a man reborn in Turkey after all.
But, with the benefit of hindsight, perhaps Mancini should have put more faith in another striker playing some of the best football of his career right now.
Will Newcastle United sign Giacomo Raspadori?
Giacomo Raspadori managed just over 20 minutes off the bench against North Macedonia. Just to rub salt into Mancini’s wounds, the Sassuolo poacher would score twice, five days later, in a meaningless friendly victory over Turkey, showcasing the kind of ruthless finishing skills Italy were so badly lacking on that fateful Thursday night.
The diminutive 22-year-old is perhaps the most natural finisher in the Italy squad.
According to Tuttosport, he’s been monitored by Juventus, Inter Milan and RB Leipzig. Newcastle, bankrolled by those Saudi Arabian billionaires, saw a £21 million bid snubbed by Sassuolo a couple of months ago.
“In January, an English club asked about him,” CEO Giovanni Carnevali, while confirming Inter Milan’s interest, tells TMW. “(But), for us, he is a fundamental player.”
The bidding, for Raspadori, starts at around £30 million. If he’d scored the goal that fired Italy into the World Cup, one suspects his price-tag would be even bigger with the summer window now a matter of weeks away.
It remains to be seen whether Newcastle plan to return with a new bid. Raspadori, a 5ft 8ins, penalty-box poacher in the mould of a young Michael Owen or Sergio Aguero, would certainly give Eddie Howe a different sort of option in the final third.
“For technique and style of play, perhaps I am similar to Aguero,” Raspadori said in September. “But those I studied the most are (Carlos) Tevez, (Antonio) Di Natale and also Paolo Rossi.”
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