While Newcastle United have already shored up their defence with the shrewd signing of Lloyd Kelly this summer, welcomed on a free transfer after his contract expired with Bournemouth, Eddie Howe is hoping to bolster further at the back.
The Magpies were flying high during the 2022/23 campaign, incredibly recording a fourth-place finish in the Premier League before a deluge of injuries battered the squad last term. Newcastle fought valiantly but failed to make it out of their Champions League group, finishing eighth in the top flight moreover.
Howe will be confident that his team will reach loftier heights once again after a summer of purposeful, impactful spending, with an exciting name being considered after Kelly's arrival.
Newcastle eyeing another defender
Last week, Corriere di Bologna – via Sport Witness – revealed that Chelsea and Newcastle had joined Tottenham Hotspur in the race to sign Riccardo Calafiori, currently starring at Euro 2024 with Italy.
Bologna qualified for the Champions League last season but have lost manager Thiago Motta to Juventus, and now Calafiori could follow suit but head toward the Premier League.
Valued at €40m (£34m) by the Serie A outfit, the versatile defender would be the ideal addition to complete Newcastle's backline.
Why Riccardo Calafiori would be perfect for Newcastle
Newcastle might have welcomed Kelly to the fold but their defensive issues run a bit deeper. Veteran Paul Dummett's contract has expired and, most importantly, Sven Botman's rotten luck continues.
The Dutchman, signed from Lille for around £35m in July 2022, enjoyed an imperious debut campaign in England but started only 15 times in the Premier League as he spent much of last autumn recuperating from a knee injury before rupturing his ACL in March, set for nine months on the sidelines that may well see him return after the new year.
Calafiori, like Botman and like Kelly, is left-footed. The Bologna star is comfortable at left-back but plays the lion's share of his football at centre-back, having been described as an "aerial monster" by analyst Ben Mattinson.
In Serie A last season, as per Sofascore, the 22-year-old featured 30 times and kept ten clean sheets, completing 90% of his passes and averaging 1.7 tackles, 2.5 clearances and 0.6 key passes per game.
The complete package? It certainly looks that way. As per FBref, Calafiori ranks among the top 1% of central defenders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 3% for shot-creating actions, the top 2% for successful take-ons and the top 4% for interceptions per 90.
His first performance at the Euros, against Albania, and then his third versus Croatia where he popped up with a vital assist (video above), also serves to show why the Italian is such a sought-after player right now, producing some all-encompassing, seat-raising performances from the back.
Taking an obscene amount of touches and driving forward whenever he could in that clash with Albania, the 6 foot 1 titan offers so much to the fluency and fizz of his team.
Minutes played
90'
Touches
117
Accurate passes
99/106 (93%)
Key passes
1
Long balls
2/4
Dribble attempts
2/2
Tackles
1
Clearances
3
Front-footed and assured in his style and its success, Calafiori would make a real difference to Howe's team, influencing the progressive play from deep and perhaps even providing Bruno Guimaraes with the perfect partner from the rearguard.
Guimaraes needs no introduction, having cemented himself as one of the Premier League's finest midfielders since his advent in 2022. Utterly mesmeric in his all-including style of play, the Brazilian would benefit greatly from such a creative, front-thinking central defender.
Calafiori's willingness to drive the ball forward would play right into Guimaraes' hands. The 26-year-old Toon ace covers immense stretches of ground in the middle of the field, averaged 1.9 dribbles, 7.7 successful duels and 6.4 ball recoveries per Premier League game last term.
He also notched 15 goal contributions across his 37 appearances, so he'd definitely be a grateful recipient of Calafiori's uniquely creative passing, borne from a ball-carrying proclivity.
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