Inter’s Frattesi Faces Uncertain Future Amid Newcastle Interest

According to Sport Witness, Newcastle United expressed interest in acquiring 26-year-old midfielder Davide Frattesi during the summer transfer window. However, he remained with Italian club Inter Milan. Following a lack of playing time, accumulating less than 200 minutes in Serie A this season, a departure from the Nerazzurri seems increasingly likely. Tuttomercatoweb reports that Frattesi’s ascent to the first team has been hindered by players such as Petar Sucic and Piotr Zielinski, making a transfer in January ‘very likely’. Although Inter previously rejected Newcastle’s summer approach, the possibility of revisiting this interest in 2026 remains open.

In August, Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe acknowledged the need for another midfielder due to injuries affecting Joe Willock and Lewis Miley. He stated, “We want six midfielders, and now we are down to four. That is an issue for us and it is a position we are looking at.”

Ultimately, Newcastle’s summer transfer dealings were eventful, including the saga surrounding Alexander Isak, and they secured Jacob Ramsey from Aston Villa. Nonetheless, this addition may not suffice to meet Howe’s midfield requirements as the season progresses.

Howe also tempered expectations regarding the potential re-signing of Nottingham Forest star Elliot Anderson, who was sold last year to address the club’s profit and sustainability concerns. He commented, “Sentiment never comes into it—it is always about finance. We have not had any discussions on the January window. We’re too focused on the number of games we have. That will take precedence for now. Certainly, paying fees like that (£100 million) is something I am not sure we will be in a position to do. I am discussing this without any knowledge of January. It is just not typically a window for high fees. There is a need for careful long-term management of our financial situation, and we cannot allow one transfer to destabilize that.”

Despite limited appearances for Inter, with his last start on October 4, Frattesi continues to represent the Italian national team. He participated in Italy’s recent 4-1 loss against Norway during World Cup qualifying, a match in which Italy had initially taken the lead.

Following the match, Frattesi remarked, “It was two games in one. In the first half, there was only one team on the pitch; in the second half, we showed that we are a bit fragile. After the first goal, we fell apart. The group stage is over, and we must now focus solely on the March playoffs.”

He further explained, “Explaining a 4-1 result is difficult, but I wouldn’t call it humiliation. They didn’t completely dominate us. At least, that’s how it felt to me on the pitch. They proved they deserved to win the group, so calling it humiliation is an exaggeration.”

As January approaches, it remains to be seen whether Inter Milan will entertain offers for Frattesi, who has a contract extending to 2028, and whether Newcastle will still pursue him. The winter transfer window is often challenging, with clubs typically commanding inflated prices for their players. Before that, Frattesi’s Inter side will face Atletico Madrid in the Champions League, while Newcastle prepares to take on Marseille in France.