Juventus are reportedly preparing a summer offer for Manchester City forward Gabriel Jesus.
According to the Daily Star, Manchester City’s pursuit of Erling Haaland could facilitate Juventus’s move for Gabriel Jesus. The Cityzens have been on the hunt for a new centre-forward for quite some time and have identified Haaland as the long-term successor for Sergio Aguero.
Multiple reports have labelled them the favourites for the Norwegian’s signature. The Borussia Dortmund forward’s move to Manchester City will further limit Gabriel Jesus’s game-time.
Signed from Palmeiras for €32 million in 2017, Jesus has failed to carve a spot for himself in the Manchester City starting XI. The 2019/20 season was Jesus’s best in the league, which saw him score 14 goals. He has crossed the ten league goals mark just once in his other five seasons in England.
This season, he has scored two goals in the Premier League in 20 appearances, and with the possible arrival of Haaland, the Brazilian could fall further down the pecking order. The 24-year-old has an eye on the FIFA World Cup later this year as well, and he would need to play regularly to feature in Brazil manager Tite’s plan for the tournament.
Juventus are reportedly ready to shell out £65 million for Jesus and are silently optimistic that the fee would be enough to convince the Cityzens to sell the forward. With Paulo Dybala likely to leave on a Bosman deal, Moise Kean and Alvaro Morata unlikely to be signed on permanent deals the Bianconeri will need a new forward to support Dusan Vlahovic, with Jesus emerging as a target.
Juventus also expect the Brazilian to be eager on the move to Serie A. He will have just a year remaining on his contract with City after the 2021/22 season. Inter Milan have been also linked with the centre-forward.
As far as Manchester City are concerned, with Jesus’s failure to take over the goalscoring baton from Aguero, Guardiola has resorted to using a false-nine this season. The Premier League giants are eager to sign a top-class forward and have identified Haaland as the perfect option.
As per a release clause in the Norwegian’s contract with Borussia Dortmund, he would be available for just £63 million after the ongoing season. City could thus use the amount from Jesus’s sale, if it happens, to snap up Haaland from Dortmund.
