Newcastle can buy long-time target Duvan Zapata at a 70 per cent discount after it was revealed that leading clubs in Saudi Arabia and Qatar had been alerted to the Atalanta striker’s availability. Zapata joined his current employers on a permanent basis from Sampdoria just over three years ago following a successful 18-month loan spell at the club.
The Magpies were reportedly keen to land Zapata on a loan-to-buy deal at the start of last year as the club were frantically battling to avoid relegation to the Championship after Eddie Howe had taken the helm. The 31-year-old was valued at £34million by his team at the time and was keen to head to St James’ Park, but ultimately stayed where he was.
According to The Mirror, Atalanta are now willing to sell Zapata for around £10m. The ace has less than 18 months remaining on his current deal and has not always seen eye-to-eye with current manager Gian Piero Gasperini. And if the Magpies could get him for that fee, it would represent a 70 per cent saving on what they might have paid for him last January.
But Newcastle will face plenty of competition to land Zapata as Everton have been kept informed about the player’s situation after expressing an interest to sign him on loan in January with a £15m option to buy.
Zapata has bagged 80 goals and 42 assists in 181 appearances for Atalanta but has only found the back of the net once this season. The front man has also been a regular for Colombia over the last four years but has only returned four goals in 34 games for his country.
Newcastle will be keen to reinforce their frontline this summer after struggling in front of goal at times this season. The Tynesiders have scored just 39 Premier League goals and found the back of the net just three times in eight top-flight matches between New Year’s Eve and the start of March.
However, some of their goalscoring issues have assuaged since the return to form of Alexander Isak. The Sweden international has suffered an injury-hit maiden campaign in the north east but notched a brace against Nottingham Forest last time out after getting his name on the scoresheet against Wolves five days earlier.
Everton, meanwhile, have also flattered to deceive in attack this season, with no other Premier League team scoring fewer times than the Toffees. And if the Merseysiders avoid relegation this season, they could pull out all the stops to get their hands on Zapata.
