BERGAMO, ITALY – NOVEMBER 04: Giorgio Scalvini of Atalanta BC inspects the pitch prior to the Serie A TIM match between Atalanta BC and FC Internazionale at Gewiss Stadium on November 04, 2023 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Emilio Andreoli/Getty Images)
Friday’s reports claim that Giorgio Scalvini is now the no.1 transfer priority for Premier League side Newcastle United this summer. Here is everything Magpies fans need to know about the highly-rated 21-year-old.Â
Who is Italy international Scalvini?Â
For several years, Scalvini has been one of, if not the most highly anticipated young defender in Italian football.Â
A traditional centre-back, Scalvini made his Serie A debut as a 17-year-old in 2021, and was a regular in the starting line-up by the age of 18, having made 32 top flight appearances in 2022-23, and then another 36 in 2023-24 at the ages of 19 and 20.Â
6’4 in height, equally adept in the air as he is with the ball at his feet and showing defensive wisdom beyond his years, Scalvini already racked up over 100 first-team appearances for Atalanta before the age of 21.Â
Scalvini was also capped eight times at full international level before the age of 20.Â
He had expected to be part of the Italy squad for the EURO 2024 campaign last summer, but picked up an injury in the final minutes of the final Serie A match of the 2023-24 season, which was later confirmed to be a cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture.Â
Miraculously, it only took around five months for him to recover from his serious knee injury as he emerged for a second-half cameo in a 3-1 win over Parma on November 23, 2024.Â
Though he would go on to feature another five times for Atalanta in Serie A, Scalvini then picked up a serious injury to his shoulder, which required surgery and ultimately ended a cruel and frustrating season for the defensive talent.Â
Recent updates claim that Scalvini is set to return to training in mid-July.
