Newcastle make contact to sign one of the best dribblers in Europe for £21m

Newcastle United have now made contact over a potential deal for an “outstanding” midfielder, who could be available for a fee of just £21m this summer, according to a report.

Magpies pursuing midfielder amid Tonali and Guimaraes uncertainty

Newcastle are on the brink of securing a return to the Champions League, and Sandro Tonali has been one of their most important players, with Jamie Carragher recently praising the midfielder after naming him in his Premier League team of the season.

Speaking about the Magpies, Carragher said: “They actually made a poor start to the season. I don’t think their season turned around until Eddie Howe put him [Tonali] in the holding role.

“For a lot of the time he has been there, he has been the attacking midfielder and Bruno has been the holding. I think him going to the sitting midfield role has made a huge difference.

Howe is likely to be very pleased with Tonali’s performances, but the Italian is now starting to attract interest from elsewhere, with Manchester United and Manchester City being named as potential suitors.

With Bruno Guimaraes also attracting attention, Howe may be forced to revamp his midfield in the summer transfer window, and a report from TEAMtalk has now revealed that Newcastle have made contact over a deal for Dinamo Zagreb’s Martin Baturina.

Baturina has a number of potential suitors from within the Premier League, with Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest also keen, and a deal for the attacking midfielder is likely to be relatively inexpensive, as the Croatian side are looking to hold out for around £21m.

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The Magpies are set to hold discussions over a deal for a forward.

Inter Milan are also interested in signing the 22-year-old, who is now ready to move to a top league in Europe, having put in some impressive performances in his home country of Croatia.

“Outstanding” Baturina could be a bargain signing

Of course, it is always a risk to take a punt on a player who is unproven in a major European league, but the Croatian has shown that he is ready to make the step-up to a higher level with his displays for Zagreb.

The Zurich-born maestro picked up six goals and 12 assists in all competitions during the 2024-25 campaign, with three of those coming in the Champions League.

Moreover, football scout Ben Mattinson has lauded the Zagreb star for his “outstanding” vision and weight of pass, and he has displayed his dribbling ability on a regular basis over the past year, ranking in the top 1% for successful take-ons by players in his position.

At just £21m, Baturina could be a bargain signing for Newcastle this summer, but there will be a hope that his arrival is not at the expense of Tonali and Guimaraes, given their importance to Howe’s side.