After Roberto Mancini’s claims that his team “Needs a left-footed player to play out on the right”, a name that has come back onto the radar is Florian Thauvin.

Sporting Director Piero Ausilio has the Frenchman’s name in his notebook as a possible summer arrival. The 23-year-old is out on-loan at Marseille having started the season in the Premier League with Newcastle United and as the French portal Le101Sports suggests; his next destination could be Italy.
 

Nerazzurri chiefs have reportedly already approached the player in the past and may recommence negotiations in the summer. Having arrived in England for €18 million last summer, Thauvin recently stated that; “My priority at the moment is to finish the season as strongly as possible. I still have four years left on my contract at Newcastle and one of my goals is to stay in England and do well with the team”. He continued; “In the beginning, there were problems between myself and the old coach (now Rafael Benitez is in charge), so I went to Marseille to prepare in the best way possible for my return even if I don’t know where I will be playing”.  

13 appearances and zero goals in the first half of the season at St James’ Park, Thauvin has netted twice for the Ligue 1 side. His future remains uncertain, as the Magpies are still unsure if they will beat the drop to the Championship and if Benitez himself will remain at the helm. Should that happen, the Daily Star newspaper has reported that the club will have no choice but to part with its prized assets.


Steve Mitchell @barafundler