Bundesliga giants RB Leipzig are working to beat Newcastle United to the signature of Valentino Lazaro.
The Austria international midfielder is out of favour at Inter and is free to leave in this month's transfer window, as the Nerazzurri look to make space for new arrivals; Ashley Young has joined, Victor Moses is on the brink of signing and a deal for Christian Eriksen is in the works.
Newcastle want Lazaro and have been holding talks with his agent, having agreed a deal with Inter.
The Magpies will pay Inter a loan fee of €2m, while then having a purchase option available to trigger in the summer, set at €20m.
Lazaro, a former Hertha Berlin player, has strong interest from Germany in the shape of RB Leipzig though, meaning Newcastle have fierce competition.
Lazaro's agent has now met with RB Leipzig's sporting director Markus Krosche in Milan to talk about a deal that could take the midfielder back to Germany.
RB Leipzig want to see off competition from Newcastle and win the race for Lazaro.
The Austria international is keen to make sure he is playing regularly over the second half of the season and the Bundesliga is a league he knows well.
And RB Leipzig currently top the table, four points clear of Bayern Munich.
