Newcastle flop emerges as surprise Inter Milan target, deal could be permanent - report
By Tom Tibble
Florian Thauvin has emerged as a transfer target for Inter Milan, according to reports in the Italian media.
Serie A’s fourth-placed team are also said to be keen on Lazio’s Antonia Candreva but the Newcastle loanee may prove to be a more realistic prospect.
According to the Football Italia website, Inter are keeping tabs on the 23-year-old and interested in a permanent deal.
The 23-year-old arrived on Tyneside from Marseille during last summer’s transfer window for £12million but failed to score or create any league goals before he was loaned back out to the Ligue 1 club for the second half of the campaign.
Thauvin has four years remaining on his Newcastle contract and the club could be ready to offload him after he turned out to be one of the flops of the Premier League season.
The winger's League Cup displays left a bittersweet taste of what might have been, as the two appearances he made in the competition saw him notch one and create two strikes for his team mates in just two ties.
However, Thauvin failed to translate that form into the Premier League where the Frenchman made 13 appearances without supplying the decisive pass or finish.
The youngster’s loan move back to Marseille has fared better, with his playing time nearly double compared to that of his time in England.
However, he has still scored only two goals in 14 appearances for Les Olympiens and Newcastle fans will wonder what he has done to merit the interest of Italian giants Inter.