Everything Newcastle fans need to know about Alessandro Circati as Parma swoop eyed
Newcastle United have reportedly set their sights on signing Parma centre-back Alessandro Circati this summer.
Eddie Howe needs to bolster his defensive options this summer after a dismal 2025-26 season from a defensive standpoint.
Newcastle had the sixth-worst defence in the Premier League last term as Howe struggled to settle on a consistent back four.
Fabrian Schar has been retained ahead of next season after signing a one-year contract extension, but several top clubs remain interested in Sven Botman and Malick Thiaw.
According to a new report from Parma Today, the Magpies have registered their interest in 22-year-old centre-back Circati.
The Parma star has established himself as a regular in Serie A over the last few seasons, and is currently starring for Australia at the World Cup.
Newcastle have reportedly been monitoring his services "for some time", and Football Insider have the lowdown on what to expect if he moves to St James' Park this summer.
Alessandro Circati's career path so far
Circati was born in Italy but moved to Perth at the age of one, so he represented the country of his birth at youth level before realising he felt more connected to Australia.
The 22-year-old has made 14 appearances for the Socceroos since his senior debut in 2023, and played the full 90 minutes in their 2-0 World Cup win over Turkey on Sunday.
At club level, Circati came through Perth Glory's ranks as a striker and won their Best Youth Player Award in 2020 before deciding to move on.
He underwent trials with Leicester City and Reading as a defender that same year, and the former were planning to offer him a contract but decided not to due to potential registration issues.
Circati moved to Parma in 2021 and signed his first professional contract in January 2022 before making his senior debut a month later.
His early years at Parma were shaped by legendary goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, who acted as his mentor and ultimately convinced him to declare for Australia over Italy.
The 22-year-old has made 95 first team appearances for the club so far, and was key to their promotion from Serie B in 2024 as he won the league's Best Defender award.
He featured 33 times in Serie A last term as Parma finished 13th and boasted the best defensive record in the bottom half.
What has Circati said about his future at Parma?
Sources have told Football Insider that Newcastle will be one of the busiest clubs in the Premier League this summer, with Circati now on their radar.
He was asked about the interest by ESPN in a recent interview, and replied: "I just get on with what I do. Things are written all the time. You have to turn a blind eye to it and deal with what's actually in front of you."