According to the Daily Mail, Newcastle are interested in signing Inter Milan defender Milan Skriniar, who is also wanted by Tottenham.
What’s the story?
Well, the Daily Mail shared the news when writing an article detailing how Skriniar finished third in the CIES Football Observatory rankings.
Newcastle’s interest in the 48-cap Slovakia international comes after Tutto Mercato Web revealed that Antonio Conte hopes to make him his first Spurs signing.
Skriniar helped Conte win the Serie A title last season, playing a key role in the triumph.
The 26-year-old made 32 Serie A appearances, scoring three goals along the way as Inter Milan won their first league title since 2011.
In that respect, you can understand why Conte is keen on a reunion with the Inter Milan No.37 at Hotspur Way.
Skriniar is said to have a £55m price tag on his head.
Back in the summer, that certainly would’ve ruled Newcastle out of the equation, but they are now financially competitive following the arrival of Amanda Staveley and the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia (PIF).
What could Milan Skriniar bring to Newcastle or Tottenham?
Well, Skriniar would bring plenty of desire, effort and selflessness to the Premier League if he opted to leave the San Siro.
We only mention that as the CIES Football Observatory rankings were not just in order of Europe’s best players from an ordinary point of view.
In this case, CIES put together a chart which measures the unsung heroes across Europe, those who make the biggest contributions to their side’s success.
Skriniar finished third on the list with a score of 105.5, having played 5,256 minutes of Inter Milan’s Serie A title triumph.
Additionally, the Daily Mail describe him as someone who is among the best passers in Italy’s top-flight, so he’d slot into a possession based system with ease.
Keep an eye on this saga, as Inter Milan are struggling financially and may therefore be open to a sale this January.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
