Italian newspaper Il Messaggero claim – as per Football Italia – that Newcastle are the favourites to sign Roma defender Roger Ibanez this summer. A player, that has been recently linked with Tottenham Hotspur.
Ibanez, 23, was a mainstay in Jose Mourinho’s Roma side last season. Clocking up 51 appearances in all competitions, the Brazil under-23 star helped Roma keep 19 clean sheets and even score four goals.
Previous reports carried interest from both Newcastle and Tottenham. Now, The Toon are winning the race for Ibanez with Serie A champions AC Milan also showing interest. Roma want a fee of £17million.
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Newcastle are favourites to sign Roma defender Ibanez
Newcastle and Tottenham, as things stand, look well-covered at centre-back. The Toon have brought in Sven Botman – and still have captain Jamaal Lascelles, Fabian Schar after a new deal, and January addition Dan Burn.
Ciaran Clark has left but Federico Fernandez is a fifth option. Spurs play three at the back. But they still have Cristian Romero, Eric Dier, Davinson Sanchez, Ben Davies, Clement Lenglet and more. Some could depart, though.
But ultimately, Ibanez is an improvement on all of Newcastle’s defenders – but Botman. At Tottenham, Ibanez would struggle to get into the side. Arguably, he would do well to be even first reserve. £17million is a bargain.
Newcastle are certainly the best move for Ibanez if Roma want him gone. That is, with Milan likely to end their hunt for a central defender by raiding Tottenham for Japhet Tanganga in a loan-to-buy deal for £13.7million.
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