Matteo Gendozi active for Lazio against Inter Milan (Photo: Marco Luzani/Getty Images)
Newcastle United is reportedly ready to pay Lazio defensive midfielder Matteo Gendozi’s 50 million euro release clause this summer.
The French may have floped for Arsenal early in his career, but he was in Serie A and now has another chance in the Premier League.
According to Italian outlet Corriere Della Sera, a translation from Sport Witness has now shown strong interest in Guendouzi.
The report suggests that both Newcastle and Aston Villa are ready to pay the 50 million euros needed to trigger the Gendoji release clause in Lazio.
This follows Sunderland, which has recently been linked to the 26-year-old, but the price will certainly be too high for them.
Matteo Guendouzi lined up to return to the Premier League
Newcastle managed to get Gendoji to take this summer, but it’s a bit hard to imagine him becoming a regular starter at the same time.
Magpies already have impressive performers like Brunogimarae, Sandrotonari and Jollington as options in the middle of the park.
Still, more team depth is always useful and they certainly need it as there are more games next season after competing in the Champions League.
Does Gendoji need to join Newcastle or a villa?
The Newcastle project is definitely an exciting project, so it’s easy to imagine Gendoji wanting to take part.
But Villa is also a Cup club, and may be suitable to offer normal playing time for the former Arsenal midfielder and a reunion with former manager Unai Emery.
Ultimately, these are both great clubs and Gendoji will be pretty pleased with either one unless he is keen on another spell in British football.
Lazio is told he wants to keep his grip on him, so perhaps they can turn him down the offer and convince him to stay at Studio Olimpico.