New contacts for the Ivorian from Barcelona: Giuntoli insists on the loan, but first he has to sell the redundant midfielders. Goodbye to Arthur, forward with West Ham for the Swiss. For the USA Premier or Türkiye joker
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One, two, three… Kessie. The run of the Lady to the Barcelona midfielder is like a game of joints. A sort of three (Arthur, Zakaria, McKennie) for one (Kessie). The technical manager Cristiano Giuntoli, the ds Giovanni Manna and Massimiliano Allegri have long identified in the 26-year-old Ivorian the ideal reinforcement for the midfielder. And the candidacy of the former AC Milan player, despite the fact that the Catalans are only evaluating a definitive farewell for the moment, has also come out strengthened by the black and white evaluations of the last few hours. The one for the “president”, who moved to Catalonia a year ago on a free transfer, is a real plebiscite at a technical level. Allegri imagines the former AC Milan player together with Manuel Locatelli and Adrien Rabiot. A mix of running, power, insertions and sense of goal. So much so that Continassa does not seem to have any doubts. Provided you can sign the player on loan and make room for him in the middle of the field through 3-4 transfers. After the first contacts with Barcelona and with Kessie’s entourage, courted by Arabia and for the moment also intrigued by England, Juventus has begun to prepare the field for the final assault. The first piece of the puzzle, built by Giuntoli, Manna and the agent of the Brazilian Federico Pastorello, got stuck yesterday with Arthur’s transfer to Fiorentina.
Out one…
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The former Barcelona player, who returned to Turin from last season’s unfortunate loan deal with Liverpool, landed in Florence yesterday evening and will undergo medical tests during the day. Loan operation with redemption rights set at around 20 million plus bonuses. Waiting for any future check, between a onerous loan, bonuses and the part of the salary that will be paid by Fiorentina, Juventus will save between 5 and 6 million euros. A first step, far from obvious. Suffice it to say that last summer Arthur left Continassa on the last day of the market. Giuntoli and Manna, having laid the foundation stone of the Kessie operation, will now concentrate on the others. Starting with Denis Zakaria, who has been training with the “redundancies” since the beginning of the rally and will not fly to the United States with Allegri and his companions during the day. The Swiss midfielder, who arrived with Vlahovic in January 2022 and sent on loan to Chelsea within 6 months, could become a protagonist in the Premier League again. Still in London, but on the West Ham side. Contacts with the Hammers have been going on for weeks, but on a slow fire, in search of a midfielder after the maxi sale of Declan Rice to Arsenal for 120 million. Juventus would like to collect 18 million from the former Borussia Monchengladbach and save the over 3 million salary. The West Ham track is not the only one: Aston Villa and some German clubs have also taken information on Zakaria. Giuntoli, at least for now, is adamant on the formula: transfer or at most loan with obligation to buy.
the other tiles
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Today the Tuscan manager will escort the team to the United States. But Giuntoli will not stay in America until August 2nd. He will return early to Italy. How soon will also depend on the negotiations. From those for Zakaria and Weston McKennie, reinstated as a group for the USA. The former Schalke 04 is a Texan and coach Berhalter’s national team is untouchable. It is not, however, for Allegri. McKennie will not be redundant in the strict sense, but he remains on the market. Giuntoli and Manna plan to shortly transform the interest collected in recent weeks between England, Germany and Turkey into a check for 25 million to complete the Kessie puzzle.
Pogba, Arab expectation
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A bit like it happens in all games, watch out for jokers. The most important one is called Saudi Arabia and concerns Paul Pogba, in recent weeks the protagonist of the now famous blitz in Jeddah. The Frenchman has not yet trained in a group, but remains in the sights of the Saudis. As soon as the Octopus sets foot on the pitch, the prince and sports minister Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal will make up for it with an offer of 30 million per season for the player. At Continassa, in the case, in addition to saving three years of the contract worth 8 million plus 2 in bonuses, they also count on obtaining compensation of 10 million. Fabio Miretti could also free up a place, at least in the squad. Yesterday Juve announced the extension of the midfielder’s contract until 2027. But the future of the Azzurrino remains in the balance. Salernitana is pressing for the loan and the green light could come when returning from the USA.
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