Newcastle United interfered in Sporting's pursuit of Issa Doumbia, a 22-year-old Italian central midfielder, when he was at Venezia, but the approach from the Portuguese club was more appealing. It was reported that the Premier League side acted too late, as the player had already been persuaded to move to Alvalade despite strong but failed attempts by Newcastle to change his destination.
Newcastle, which monitored Doumbia last season, continues to consider him a target, alongside other clubs like Juventus, Roma, and Brentford. They are not the only interested team in the Premier League and are regarded as a club with the capacity to make significant offers. Doumbia, who has four caps for Italy, joined Sporting in July 2026 for a base fee reported to be €20 million. His current contract runs until 2031 and reportedly includes an €80 million release clause. His market value is estimated by Transfermarkt to be €20 million.
