NEWCASTLE and West Ham are set to battle it out for Juventus defender Daniele Rugani, according to reports.
The Italian 26-year-old has been told he is free to leave the Old Lady this summer following Andrea Pirlo’s appointment.
Daniele Rugani is wanted by both West Ham and NewcastleCredit: Getty – Contributor
Rugani made just ten league appearances last season and is deemed surplus to requirements ahead of the upcoming campaign.
He almost moved to the Premier League last summer when Arsenal showed a genuine interest.
Mikel Arteta then quashed speculation he would go in for Rugani after landing both Gabriel and William Saliba.
That has paved way for the Prem duo to make their moves as they go in search of reinforcements to bolster their defences.
Newcastle’s frailties were exposed at the weekend when they crashed to a 3-0 home defeat to Brighton.
The Toon are looking into the possibility of a loan switch following the £20million summer arrival of Callum Wilson.
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And West Ham boss David Moyes is in the market for a new centre-back having reportedly chased Burnley’s James Tarkowski all summer.
Watford veteran Craig Dawson is also an option but Moyes would prefer Rugani, according to the Daily Mail.
Rugani signed for Juventus from Empoli in 2013 and has made 101 appearances for the Turin side.
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
