As Newcastle aim to conclude a record-breaking deal for an outstanding Serie A star, reports in Italy suggest that the Magpies want to do so by close of play on Thursday.
Eddie Howe’s side are looking to get some major business done early to give them a head start over their contemporaries.
With the Champions League to keep Newcastle busy in the midweek slots prior to Christmas and, if Howe’s team are successful in getting out of their group, into the new year, as well as domestic challenges, it’s clear that the club have to strengthen in certain areas.
It’s believed that Newcastle’s sporting director, Dan Ashworth, is in Italy at present trying to secure a €70m deal for AC Milan star, Sandro Tonali.
The exciting midfielder would complement what Howe has in situ so it’s understandable why they might be putting the pressure on to get things over the line.
According to a report in Sports Mediaset on Wednesday, Newcastle had said they wanted an answer on the deal in 24 hours, meaning that close of business on Thursday was their initial deadline.
It’s not clear whether Ashworth will be able to sign off on this one in that time frame, but to ensure that no other clubs come in for the player, it’s imperative from Newcastle’s point of view, that things are tied up in a timely fashion.