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Tag: JUVENTUS

  • Transfer: Man Utd agrees Lukaku-Dybala swap deal

    Manchester United and Juventus have agreed a swap deal in principle involving Paulo Dybala and Romelu Lukaku, according to Sky Italia.
    It is understood the deal now needs an agreement between United and Dybala for it to be completed.
    Mariano Dybala, agent to the Juventus forward, was in London on Tuesday to discuss the terms of the transfer.
    Tottenham and United are both interested in the 25-year-old, who is believed to be open to moving to the Premier League.
    But it appears Dybala is heading to Old Trafford, after his agent held talks with United executive vice-chairman, Ed Woodward.

    Dybala struggled for form last season, scoring just five Serie A goals, following Cristiano Ronaldo’s arrival.
    Lukaku, who looked set to join another Serie A side Inter Milan, will now join Juventus, after Cristiano Ronaldo gave the green light to the move.

  • Cristiano Ronaldo eyes Madrid return

    Juventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo has said he “hopes to return to Madrid soon” as he received the Marca Leyenda award.
    The Portuguese superstar spent a decade at Real Madrid, where he won four of his five Ballons d’Or and four Champions Leagues, as well as two La Liga crowns and two Copa del Rey titles, scoring a whopping 450 goals in just 438 games for the club.
    He moved to Italy with the Bianconeri last summer in search of a new challenge, but he admits that he misses the Spanish capital and felt sad to leave Los Blancos as he received the prestigious Marca Leyenda award in Madrid.
    “I felt sorry when I left Real Madrid,” Ronaldo said at the awards ceremony.
    “I miss both [Manchester and Madrid] but because of life’s circumstances I have lived more years in Madrid, my children and my girl were born here, so I miss Madrid more.
    “This trophy will be in a very nice place in my museum. Madrid is special, I travel a lot but there are few cities like Madrid. Much of this award is derived from what I did in Madrid. It is a Spanish trophy and leaves me very honoured. Thanks to all those who have helped me to achieve it. It is a pride for me. And I hope to return to Madrid soon.”

  • Kane hits 93rd minute wonder-goal as Spurs sink Juventus

    Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane scored what he called “one of the best goals” of his career to beat Italian champions Juventus 3-2 in an enthralling International Champions Cup contest in Singapore on Sunday.
    Kane capitalised after team mate Lucas Moura nicked the ball deep into injury time.
    The striker thumps his effort from the halfway line high into the steamy night and over the head of Juventus’ back-pedalling goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny.
    His goal completed a comeback after Cristiano Ronaldo put Juventus 2-1 in front.
    “”It is probably one of the best goals of my career.
    “”I could see in parts of the game the keeper was off the line.
    “I thought if I get a chance to shoot, I’ll shoot and thankfully it went in,” Kane said.
    Spurs midfielder Erik Lamela scored the only goal of the first half, striking from close range in the 31st minute after Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon palmed a shot from teenage striker Troy Parrott.
    In a livelier second half, Juventus substitute Gonzalo Higuain equalised in the 56th minute after some neat interplay on the edge of the box gave him the space to place it low into the right corner.
    Then up stepped crowd-favourite Ronaldo.
    Defender Mattia De Sciglio cut the ball back to the Portuguese who drilled it across the keeper in his last touch before he was replaced.
    However, Juventus’ lead did not last long.
    In the 65th minute, Moura got on the end of a pinpoint pass from Tanguy Ndombele, the French midfielder who joined Spurs for a club record fee earlier this month.
    In the closing stages, Higuain had a decent chance to break the deadlock.
    Nevertheless, it was Kane’s wonder-goal – which came after Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot lost the ball – which sealed the win in the dying seconds.
    ““It was a great goal. Unbelievable from Harry. It is good for him to set off pre-season with scoring,” Spurs coach Mauricio Pochettino said.
    The International Champions Cup features 12 teams playing friendly matches in venues in North America, Europe and Asia.

  • De Ligt reveals why he joined Juventus

    Defender Matthijs de Ligt says manager Maurizio Sarri is one of the main reasons he joined Juventus.

    The 19-year-old centre-back had been linked with a number of Europe’s top clubs but completed a £67.5m move to the Italian champions on Thursday.
    Former Chelsea boss Sarri was unpopular with some supporters at Stamford Bridge and left the club earlier this summer after less than a year in charge.
    “He was one of the reasons that I wanted to join here,” said De Ligt.
    “I spoke to Sarri on the phone before coming just to get to know each other.
    “I’ve heard a lot of good things about him and I like his footballing philosophy and how he prepares his defence.”
    Sarri attempted to implement his attacking style while Chelsea manager but left at the end of last season despite finishing third in the Premier League and winning the Europa League.

  • Serie A: I could not turn down Juventus – Ramsey

    Aaron Ramsey has admitted he turned down other offers in favour of a move to Juventus, and says he could not refuse a move to the Italian giants.
    Ramsey agreed to sign for Juventus on a free transfer in February and moved to the Serie A side once his Arsenal contract expired last month.
    He faced the media for the first time since arriving in Italy on Monday, and said: “As soon as I knew Juve were in for me there was no question of where I was going to go; you can’t turn down that opportunity.

    “I’m so excited to be here and be part of this great club. Hopefully I can be part of some new history we can write together. I’m looking forward to that challenge.
    “Yes, there were other clubs but this is the right club for me. It’s a great club; one of the biggest in the world. To have the opportunity to come here and play at the top level is a dream.
    “It’s a challenge to come over and experience a different way of life and different culture. I’m going to embrace that and hopefully everything goes nicely over here. I know how hard it’s going to be but I’ve prepared.”
    Ramsey’s fellow new arrival at Juventus is head coach Maurizio Sarri, who has left Chelsea to replace Massimiliano Allegri.

  • Roma reshape, signing Diawara from Napoli, Spinazzola from Juve

    AS Roma have signed midfielder Amadou Diawara from Napoli for 21 million euros (£19 million) and confirmed that Greek international defender Kostas Manolas has moved in the opposite direction to Napoli for 36 million euros.
    The Romans, who last month appointed Paulo Fonseca as their coach, have also done two deals with Juventus, signing defender Leonardo Spinazzola, while Luca Pellegrini joins the Italian champions.
    Spinazzola, 26, has agreed to a four-year contract with the club paying 29.5 million euros.
    Juventus have paid 22 million euros for defender Pellegrini, who is only 20 years old and spent last season on loan at Cagliari.
    Roma Chief Executive Guido Fienga said that the club had been tracking Guinea international Diawara for a while. He is currently playing in the African Cup of Nations.
    Fienga also said he had no doubts Italian international Spinazzola would soon prove his worth.
    “Leonardo is a young player that has already acquired a lot of valuable experience in Italian football.
    I am certain that he will settle in here very quickly and will fit in well with the style our new coach implements,” he said.

  • Transfer: Adrien Rabiot agrees Juventus move

    Transfer: Adrien Rabiot agrees Juventus move

    Juventus are set to complete the signing of Adrien Rabiot after agreeing personal terms with the midfielder, according to Sky in Italy.

    The 24-year-old will join on a free transfer when his Paris Saint-Germain contract runs out on June 30 and is expected to sign a four-year deal at the Allianz Stadium.

    Juventus sporting director Fabio Paratici flew to Paris on Friday to finalise the move after days of talks between the two parties.

    It will be the Italian champions’ second free transfer of the window after the signing of Aaron Ramsey from Arsenal.

    Rabiot has not played a game for Paris Saint-Germain since December after refusing to sign a new contract and being subsequently dropped from the squad.

    The 23-year-old’s agent Veronique Rabiot, who is also his mother, revealed in December that he had made the “firm and definitive” decision to leave the club, but she remained tight-lipped when asked about the chances of his son moving to Juventus.

    “In football, we’re all very superstitious, so it’s better to keep quiet until any deal is done,” she told Rtl.fr on Thursday.

    “I like Italy very much, staying here is wonderful, you rest and you recover,” the French midfielder said earlier this month.

    “A demanding season awaits me. I have spoken with Juventus, but we can’t say anything.”

    Rabiot, a product of Paris Saint-Germain’s academy, won five Ligue 1 titles, four French Cups, and five League Cups during his time at the Parc des Princes.

  • I smoke 60 cigarettes a day, says Maurizio Sarri

    New Juventus coach Maurizio Sarri has confessed to smoking 60 cigarettes a day.

    The 60-year-old former banker is not only well known for his playing style but also his smoking habits.

    He averages around four packets of cigarettes a day and he’s admitted it’s getting out of control.

    “I smoke 60 a day, which is probably a few too many,” he revealed to La Nuova Riviera via Football Italia.

    That works out at a whopping £1,400 every month.

    “I don’t particularly feel the need to smoke during games, but straight afterwards it really is necessary,” he added. “I had back problems tormenting me for weeks, but I feel much better now.”

    Sarri, whose signed a three-year deal at Juventus, accepts that he’ll have to win over some fans considering his ties with Napoli.

    “I arrive with skepticism, just as I did with all my other clubs,” he said at his unveiling.

    “I understand that, but I know only one way to change that and that is to win and convince while entertaining and getting results.

    “For three years (at Napoli) I would wake up and think about how to defeat Juventus, because they were a winning team. I gave 110%, but we still couldn’t do it. I will now give everything for this club.”

    Juventus mean business ahead of the new season.

    www.newsnow.co.uk

  • Why I’m joining Juventus – De Ligt

    Why I’m joining Juventus – De Ligt

    Ajax defender, Matthijs de Ligt has revealed why he had chosen Juventus ahead of other clubs.

    De Ligt said that as a boy, he dreamed of being with Cristiano Ronaldo and he even owned a United shirt with the Portuguese star’s name on the back.

    Ronaldo, after Portugal’s win over Netherlands, had told De Ligt to consider joining him at Juventus.

    The 19-year-old centre-back has emerged as one of the hottest talents in Europe after a superb season at the back for the Dutch champions.

    De Ligt’s current form has brought about interest from across Europe with Manchester United, Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain all jostling for his signature.

    The defender is closing in on a move to the Serie A giants where he will link up with his boyhood hero.

    He has reportedly agreed a five-year contract at Juve and the prospect of playing with Ronaldo clearly appeals to him.

    Speaking to Dutch magazine VI recently, De Ligt explained: “It all went quickly, I realise that sometimes. During the season, at the club and during competitions, you don’t really have the time to review everything as a player.

    “But sometimes there are times when I realise that it is not normal. Like recently, when I had dinner with some childhood friends.

    “We came to the conclusion that I always wanted to be Cristiano Ronaldo when we were playing football in the garden. That was especially in his time when he played at Manchester United.

    “My first football shirt also belonged to him from that time. That dinner was just after the meetings with Juventus, in which I had to fight duels with the same Ronaldo.”

  • Sarri says his Juventus appointment “the crowning achievement’’

    Sarri says his Juventus appointment “the crowning achievement’’

    Maurizio Sarri on Thursday said his being appointed Juventus’ new head coach was the “crowning achievement” of his long career.

    He said it was a good development for him to return to Italy following a year in the English Premier League (EPL) with Chelsea.

    The Serie A champions appointed Sarri on a three-year contract earlier this week after agreeing a compensation fee with Chelsea.

    The 60-year-old replaces Massimiliano Allegri, who stepped down at the end of the season.

    “It’s the crowning achievement of a long career,” Sarri told reporters. “At Napoli I gave my all, then I decided to have a great experience in the Premier League.

    “Juventus are the best Italian club right now and offered me a chance to return to Italy.

    “It’s been a long journey for me, made up of gradual steps. I’m happy to be at the most important team in Italy and this is a further step forward after the experience at Chelsea.”

    Sarri coached Juventus’ rivals Napoli between 2015 and 2018 and nearly broke their stranglehold on the league in his final season.

    The Naples side ran Juventus close in the title race before falling four points short.

    “For three years I would wake up and think about how to defeat Juventus, because they were a winning team,” Sarri added.

    “I gave 110 per cent, but we still couldn’t do it. It was an experience and I will now give everything for this club.”

    Although Sarri won the Europa League with Chelsea and led them to a third-place finish in the league, the fans did not take to him.

    They did not like the style of play he tried to implement, which worked wonders for him at Napoli.

    Juventus seemed to lack a recognisable playing style under the pragmatic Allegri in his final season.

    Now, Sarri has said he would build his team around Juventus forwards Cristiano Ronaldo and Paulo Dybala.

    “You have to start with the talented players who can make the difference like Ronaldo, Dybala and Douglas Costa and build around them,” Sarri said.

    “When you have a player with the qualities of Dybala or Ronaldo, they can play in any role. What can change is only the interpretation of the role.

    “Coaching Ronaldo will be yet another step forward, I’d like to help him break some new records.”

    Juventus director Fabio Paratici said hiring Sarri to replace Allegri was a straightforward decision.

    “The style of play was not a driving factor in the change,” Paratici said. “Sarri was always the first choice. We tried to make him understand right away that we really wanted him.

    “We chose Sarri because we feel he is the best manager for Juventus right now. As were (former manager Antonio) Conte and Allegri in their respective moments and they showed great quality.”