Newcastle United have made concrete advances to sign Atalanta’s rising midfielder Sergej Levak this summer. The Tyneside club is eager to reinforce its squad ahead of the new Premier League campaign, and Eddie Howe has identified the young talent as a key target.
The 20-year-old joined the Serie A side on a free transfer in 2025, after a spell at AS Roma. He’s yet to make his first-team debut for the senior Italian squad, but that didn’t stop him from attracting Newcastle United’s attention. His performances at the youth level have been enough to showcase his immense potential.
In December, Sport Witness relayed news that Manchester United sent a scout to watch him live in action. The Red Devils were reportedly impressed by his tactical awareness, but it appears Newcastle United have stolen a march on their Premier League rivals by solidifying their interest with a formal approach.
The midfielder has been part of Atalanta’s U23s, who played in Serie C this season. He enjoyed a highly productive campaign, scoring seven goals from 35 matches. For a player operating primarily in the center of the pitch, those goalscoring numbers have raised eyebrows across Europe.
His impressive performances for Atalanta U23s ultimately convinced Newcastle United to launch an attempt to bring him to St. James’ Park. The Magpies’ recruitment team believes the youngster possesses the physical and technical attributes required to succeed in English football.
TuttoMercatoWeb have a detailed report on the Croatian, and their title explicitly states that an ‘important offer’ arrived from the Magpies. The Italian publication notes that Newcastle are highly determined to secure the player’s services before other European heavyweights enter the bidding war.
Within the report, TMW state Eddie Howe’s side recently made an official offer for Sergej Levak, who is widely considered one of the best players in Serie C. The Premier League side have offered a package worth €10m, though the report does not specify whether that figure includes performance-related bonuses.
However, that financial detail won’t matter in the immediate future because La Dea have promptly turned it down. The Italian club have made it clear that they have no intention of selling him during the current transfer window, as they view him as a vital asset for their upcoming campaigns.
Levak began his footballing journey at Croatian side NK Osijek and left them for AS Roma in 2023. Two years later, he moved to Atalanta, and his subsequent development hasn’t gone unnoticed by top scouts. The outlet says the player has frequently been compared to Nemanja Matić and Sergej Milinković-Savić due to his stature and passing range.
The Italian club’s firm decision to reject Newcastle United’s bid shows he’s firmly part of their long-term plans. However, Atalanta’s immediate plan for him isn’t entirely clear, as he still faces stiff competition to break into Gian Piero Gasperini’s senior starting lineup next season.
From a tactical perspective, the Magpies may not necessarily need a massive squad next season as they aren’t competing in Europe. Eddie Howe will have fewer fixtures to navigate, meaning squad rotation might not be as frequent as it was during their recent Champions League campaign.
Sergej Levak is a central midfielder, and Eddie Howe already has Bruno Guimaraes, Jacob Ramsey, Joelinton, Joe Willock, and Lewis Miley for the same position. It wouldn’t make logical sense to sign the Atalanta player unless one of the established senior midfielders was expected to leave the club this summer.
The Croatian currently has a long-term contract with Atalanta until 2030, giving the Italian side massive leverage in any transfer negotiations. Furthermore, Transfermarkt currently value him at just €800k, meaning Newcastle’s €10m bid represents a massive premium over his current market valuation.
Despite the initial rejection, Newcastle United’s recruitment team remains undeterred. Reports from Italy suggest that the Magpies are currently locked in internal discussions to determine whether they should return with an improved secondary bid to test Atalanta’s resolve once more.
Eddie Howe is reportedly keen on building a sustainable core of young, elite talent. Levak fits this profile perfectly, offering both immediate squad depth and massive resale value for the future. The Newcastle manager believes that working under his guidance could accelerate the midfielder’s development rapidly.
Furthermore, Newcastle’s scouting network has been keeping a incredibly close eye on the Italian market over the past few transfer windows. Following the successful acquisition of Sandro Tonali in the past, the club’s sporting directors are confident in navigating negotiations with Serie A clubs.
Atalanta, however, are notoriously difficult negotiators. Known for their world-class academy and ability to generate massive profits from player sales, the club is under no financial pressure to sell Levak. They believe his market value will skyrocket once he makes his official Serie A debut.
The comparison to Nemanja Matić and Sergej Milinković-Savić highlights exactly why Newcastle are willing to spend heavily on an unproven teenager. Levak combines defensive resilience, physical dominance, and an innate ability to late-arrive in the opposition penalty box to score vital goals.
For the player himself, the prospect of moving to the Premier League is undoubtedly tempting. The financial rewards and global visibility of playing for Newcastle United could fast-track his international career with the Croatian national team, where he is already tipped to become a future star.
However, Levak is also said to be highly grateful to Atalanta for providing him with regular game time in Serie C. He understands that a premature move to England could result in limited playing time, which might severely hinder his development at this critical juncture of his career.
Should Newcastle fail to convince Atalanta to part ways with the midfielder, they are expected to quickly pivot to alternative targets. The club’s data-driven recruitment team has already compiled a shortlist of alternative young midfielders across Europe who possess a similar statistical profile.
For now, the ball remains firmly in Newcastle United’s court. If they want to land the highly-rated Croatian, they will likely need to significantly increase their upfront offer closer to €15m, while also including tempting add-ons and potential future sell-on clauses to satisfy Atalanta’s demands.
As the summer transfer window progresses, this saga will be one to watch closely. Newcastle fans are eager to see new faces arrive at St. James’ Park, and wrapping up a deal for a player of Levak’s immense quality would be a massive statement of intent for the upcoming season.
