Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest are both chasing Fiorentina right-back Dodo, according to sources close to the clubs. The Brazilian defender, 25, has caught the eye of Premier League scouts with his pace and attacking runs from the back. Fiorentina are expected to demand a fee in the region of €20 million for a player who still has three years left on his contract.
Why Dodo is in demand
Dodo joined Fiorentina from Shakhtar Donetsk in 2022 and has become a regular under manager Raffaele Palladino. His ability to push forward and create chances fits the style both Newcastle and Forest want to play. Newcastle need cover for Kieran Trippier, who turns 34 next month, while Forest are looking to add depth after a busy summer window. Neither club has made a formal bid yet, but talks with intermediaries have started.
Premier League's financial muscle
The race for Dodo is the latest sign of the Premier League's financial dominance. English top-flight clubs spent more than €2.5 billion on transfers in the 2023-24 season, far outpacing Spain's La Liga and Italy's Serie A. That spending power allows them to target players from leagues across Europe, often driving up prices for clubs that cannot match the wages on offer. Fiorentina, like many Serie A sides, face a choice: hold out for a higher fee or risk losing a key player for less later.
What this means for European football
The Premier League's aggressive spending is reshaping the competitive landscape. Clubs in Italy, Germany, and France increasingly see their best talent head to England, weakening domestic leagues and deepening the gap between the Premier League and the rest. Some European officials have called for stricter financial rules to curb the outflow, but no concrete measures have been proposed. For now, the trend shows no sign of slowing. Newcastle, backed by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, and Forest, with owner Evangelos Marinakis, are both willing to spend to climb the table.
Whether Dodo ends up at St James' Park or the City Ground, the deal will likely be done before the January window closes. Fiorentina have not publicly commented on the interest, and the player himself has stayed quiet. The next few weeks will show if the Premier League's pull proves too strong for another Serie A star.
