Fabio Capello has told Newcastle exactly why they must agree Davide Frattesi deal
Fabio Capello's huge praise of Davide Frattesi proves that he would be the ideal addition to Newcastle's midfield this summer.
Frattesi has been linked to the Magpies after struggling for game time at Inter Milan throughout the 2025-26 campaign.
Reports from Italy claim that Newcastle are front-runners in the race for his services ahead of Nottingham Forest and Juventus.
His agent, Beppe Riso, is believed to hold strong ties with Newcastle's owners, PIF, as he also represents recently departed star Sandro Tonali.
The 26-year-old struggled to make regular starts for Inter last season as they lifted the Serie A title, and is believed to be open to a Premier League switch.
Newcastle have been told exactly why they should accelerate a move for his services by former England manager Capello.
Fabio Capello sees Davide Frattesi as 'the kind of player every coach would love to have'
Uncertainty over Frattesi's future has emerged after he only started three Serie A games under Antonio Conte last season.
The 26-year-old featured 33 times across all competitions, as opposed to 47 times in 2024-25 and 42 appearances in his debut season at the club.
He has remained a regular for the Italian national team since debuting in 2022, and Capello gave him some huge praise in a June 2024 column after he shone against Bosnia.
The ex-England boss said: "Frattesi is the kind of player every coach would love to have: he’s dynamic, has great movement off the ball, and has a knack for finding the net."
He also highlighted that the midfielder was able to hurt opponents whether he started or came off the bench, writing that Italy had “a Frattesi in the engine” because he was always ready to make an impact.
Frattesi's game time struggles started midway through the 2024-25 campaign, and his regular exclusion from the starting eleven left Capello baffled.
Speaking in January 2025, he said: “I don't understand why Frattesi isn't playing for Inter. He's a player who changes the pace of the game, scores frequently, and is a starter on the national team: I would have given him a little more confidence. In my opinion, a player like that can definitely start from the beginning even on this team.”
Such high praise from a legendary manager like Capello proves that Frattesi would be a shrewd signing for the Magpies as they look to potentially replace Bruno Guimaraes this summer.
The 28-year-old has reportedly expressed a desire to join Arsenal as they line up a huge offer, with sources revealing to Football Insider that Guimaraes is expected to move to the Gunners before the window closes.
Contrasting reports have emerged over his future, with several outlets claiming that Arsenal are advancing in talks with his camp over a deal.
North-east journalist Luke Edwards has claimed, however, that a source at the club has told him that no talks have taken place as yet, with any move still yet to get off the ground.