Newcastle defender a January target for Roma

Roma have not given up hope of signing Newcastle full-back Davide Santon - and they could move for the former Inter Milan man in January.

The Italian club’s director of football Walter Sabatini is thought to be a big fan of the 21-year-old, who traded his homeland for the Premier League when he joined Newcastle from Inter Milan in 2011.

Santon struggled at times last term - he managed just 19 Premier League starts - but he has been an ever-present for Alan Pardew’s side this season, and recently expressed his satisfaction with life on Tyneside.

However, according to sources in Italy, this has not deterred Roma, who are reportedly willing to test Newcastle’s resolve when the transfer window opens in January.

But should Roma fail in their bid to lure Santon they could turn their attention to France international Mathieu
Debuchy, who was a long-standing target for Newcastle during the recent summer transfer window.