Newcastle United are reportedly on the verge of signing Atalanta and Italy centre back Giorgio Scalvini in a deal worth around €45 million (£38 million), with the Premier League club said to be in pole position to land the highly regarded defender.

Scalvini, who turns 23 in December, has accumulated close to 150 appearances for Atalanta across Serie A and the UEFA Champions League, and has earned eight caps for Italy. Despite persistent interest from Newcastle over an extended period, Atalanta had consistently refused to entertain a sale — until now.

Financial troubles shift Atalanta's stance

The shift in Atalanta's position stems from a significant change in their financial outlook this summer. La Dea finished seventh in Serie A last season — their lowest league placing since 2021/22 — and will play in the UEFA Conference League next term after missing out on Champions League qualification for the first time in three seasons.

That drop comes at a considerable cost. Clubs that reach the league phase of the Champions League collect at least €18.62 million (£15.9 million) in guaranteed prize money, with each victory in the group phase adding a further €2.1 million — before television distributions are factored in. Losing that revenue appears to have prompted Atalanta to reconsider their stance on Scalvini.

French journalist Sebastien Vidal reports that Newcastle are now firmly in pole position to secure the deal, with Atalanta open to sanctioning a transfer to help rebalance their finances.

Bolstering a defence in need of fresh legs

Head coach Eddie Howe has centre back options in Sven Botman, Malick Thiaw, Fabian Schar, and Dan Burn, but both Schar and Burn are 34 years old, making the addition of a 22-year-old of Scalvini's calibre a clear priority for the club's long-term planning.

Newcastle have already been active in the transfer market this summer, completing four signings: winger Bazoumana Toure from Hoffenheim, midfielders Aladji Bamba and Sean Steur from Monaco and Ajax respectively, and goalkeeper Ewen Jaouen from Stade Reims — a combined outlay of £110 million.

However, the club have also recorded significant departures. Winger Anthony Gordon and midfielder Sandro Tonali have left for Barcelona and Tottenham Hotspur respectively, while captain Bruno Guimaraes has been strongly linked with a move to Arsenal. Against that backdrop, securing Scalvini would represent a statement of intent as Newcastle look to maintain their standing among England's elite.