Juve has opened negotiations with Sassuolo over a deal to sign Italy midfielder Manuel Locatelli.
Fabio Paratici is a fan of the 23-year-old player
Fabio has been a fan of the teenager since he first broke in Milan five years ago, but has increased his interest after being impressed with the performances for the club and country over the past 12 months. The Bianconeri will likely face intense competition for a player’s signature, but hope that by moving quickly they can tie the move and avoid a war for his services, with Sassuolo likely asking for a fee of around €40 million.
Deals amid the pandemic
The Covid-19 pandemic has affected the finances of clubs around the world, which means that it will be increasingly difficult to make transfers of big money this summer. Juventus is confident, however, that they will be able to strike a deal with Sassuolo for Locatelli that meets their assessment, while also fitting into the short-term financial constraints caused by the pandemic.
Any fee will likely be spread over several years to ease the immediate financial burden, while the youngsters Gianluca Frabotta and Nicolo Fagioli could also be offered in exchange for a partial deal. A transfer similar to that of Federico Chiesa, which switched from Fiorentina to a two-year loan last summer with a commitment to repurchase, was also discussed.
Summer restructuring rumors
Pirlo is under pressure after a disappointing first season at Juventus management, with their dreams of a 10th straight Scudetto all but ending and their hopes of the Champions League ended at Porto last month. The Turin side is 10 points behind the Inter leaders with 11 games remaining and is facing a battle to simply stay in the top four and secure Champions League football for next season.
Therefore, it is not surprising that rumors of summer restructuring began. Aaron Ramsey, Adrien Rabiot, Alex Sandro and Paulo Dybala have all been linked to the summer exit, while rumors continue to swirl around future star striker Ronaldo.