PIF eyeing NUFC deal for 62 G/A gem whose "shorts look like underwear", forget Isak - opinion

An update has emerged regarding Newcastle United‘s pursuit of Duvan Zapata in the summer transfer window…

The Northern Echo reporter Scott Wilson has claimed that PIF are now eyeing up a deal for the Colombia international after giving up on two of their other targets.

He tweeted: “Duvan Zapata back on the agenda for #NUFC – after they call time on pursuit of Moussa Diaby and Alexander Isak. Atalanta were wanting £35m for Zapata in January. The suggestions in Italy are that they’ll take a lot less now…”

The accompanying article states that. earlier this year, the Serie A club wanted an £8m loan fee to go along with a £35m purchase option, which is why PIF backed away from a deal.

However, they may now go back in for him, with it being suggested that Atalanta’s asking price for the 31-year-old is lower than it was six months ago.

In terms of the immediate future, Zapata would be a better signing for the Magpies than the Real Sociedad attacker, and Newcastle fans must now focus on the Atalanta marksman instead of the Sweden international.

Isak scored six goals and provided two assists in the 2021/22 La Liga campaign and has managed 32 goals and five assists across his three years in the division. This suggests that the 22-year-old endured a difficult campaign with Sociedad and would be arriving at St James’ Park needing to rediscover his best form.

Meanwhile, Zapata contributed 10 goals and four assists in 20 Serie A starts last term. He has scored 43 goals and produced 19 assists over his last three campaigns in the Italian top flight, illustrating the difference in quality between the two players in recent years.

His former team-mate Papu Gomez previously lauded the Colombian’s strength, saying: “Zapata’s shorts look