Newcastle United set to sign Inter Milan winger after loan to buy deal brokered

Newcastle United are expected to complete the signing of Inter Milan winger Valentino Lazaro tomorrow, after they came to a loan agreement with the Serie A side.
MILAN, ITALY - DECEMBER 21: Valentino Lazaro of FC Internazionale during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Genoa CFC at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on December 21, 2019 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Chris Ricco/Getty Images)MILAN, ITALY - DECEMBER 21: Valentino Lazaro of FC Internazionale during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Genoa CFC at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on December 21, 2019 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Chris Ricco/Getty Images)
MILAN, ITALY - DECEMBER 21: Valentino Lazaro of FC Internazionale during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Genoa CFC at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on December 21, 2019 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Chris Ricco/Getty Images)

The Gazette understands United will pay a small loan fee for the player, with an option to make the transfer permanent in the summer for a fee of around £19million.

The Austrian international winger’s agent Max Hagmayr was at the weekend win over Chelsea where the finer points of personal terms for a loan deal, with option to buy, were thrashed out.

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And hopes were high that the former Hertha Berlin man would pen a Magpies deal within ‘24 to 48 hours’, according to manager Steve Bruce.

But Hagmayr then met with RB Leipzig officials as the Bundesliga leaders entered the race for the 23-year-old. Lazaro’s agent also entered into talks with Serie A side Bologna about a possible temporary stint.

After days of deliberation, reports emerged in Germany earlier this week stating Leipzig were Lazaro’s preferred destination this month, but the German side were yet to come to a concrete agreement with Inter.

Today, Italian journalist Alfredo Pedulla – who broke the story of United’s interest last week – claimed Lazaro would make a decision on the 'destiny' of his next move by Friday evening, claiming Newcastle were in pole position to sign the player.

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The Daily Mail also claim United are ‘confident’ of completing a deal within ‘24 hours’.

Italian outlet La Gazzetta Dello Sport then claimed Leipzig would beat United to the player’s signature.

But the signing of Spain international Dani Olmo and a second round of talks with United officials seems to have won the day, in what turned out to be a game of cat and mouse for Bruce & Co.

Should, as expected, Lazaro pass a medical in the city tomorrow, as well as put pen to paper, he will become the club’s third signing of the window following the capture of Reagan Thomson from Queens Park and Algeria international midfielder Nabil Bentaleb from Schalke 04 earlier this week.

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