Striker Boulaye Dia is reportedly closing in on a move away from Italian club Salernitana just months after being linked with moves to Newcastle United and West Ham United.
The 28-times capped Senegal international is believed to have been monitored by Magpies recruitment staff on a number of occasions in recent years after their interest was peaked during his spell with Ligue 1 side Reims. Dia netted 28 goals in 88 appearances during his time at the Stade Auguste Delaune before joining Villarreal during the summer of 2021. A loan move to Italy followed after the striker agreed to a season-long loan spell with Salernitana ahead of the 2022/23 campaign and that was converted into a permanent £10m switch last summer.
Reports in Italy suggested Newcastle and West Ham were on a list of several clubs that watched Dia in action during a 2-2 draw with AC Milan in December last year and the striker was said to be one of a number of forwards under consideration for a move to St James Park during the January transfer window. After suffering a number of muscle injuries last season, Dia invoked the wrath of Salernitana head coach Fabio Liverani as his side fought a battle against relegation from Serie A.
Speaking after a 1-1 draw with Udinese in March, Liverani confirmed Dia refused to appear as a substitute and suggested the striker would not be part of his plans going forward. He told DAZN: “Dia decided not to come on at the end. He made a choice that we will have to take into consideration from today onwards. There were seven or eight minutes left, I think it was a definitive choice. I respect his decision. I’ll take note of it moving forwards. Maybe those aren’t the right words. The club will decide. But I now know he’s a player I can’t count on.” With Dia banished from their squad for the crucial run-in, Salernitana collected just three points from their final 11 games of the season and ended the campaign 19 points from safety as their three-year stay in Serie A was brought to a disastrous end.
With his career in at Salernitana now all but over, Dia has been linked with a move away from the club since the season came to an end and Italian news outlet Il Matino (as per TBR Football) have now claimed the striker is ‘on the verge of leaving’ – although stops short of naming his next destination. Newcastle are named as an interest party alongside Premier League rivals West Ham United, Brentford and Everton.
Dia is not the only striker to be linked with a move to Newcastle as the Magpies look to boost Eddie Howe’s options in forward areas before the summer transfer window closes for business next month. A move for Sheffield United’s versatile forward William Osula is expected to be finalised in the next 24 hours after the Denmark Under-21 international underwent a medical on Tyneside earlier this week. The Magpies remain keen to bring in a more natural number nine to provide competition for Alexander Isak amid speculation linking Callum Wilson with a move away from St James Park as he heads into the final 12 months of his current contract.