Juventus have rebuffed Aston Villa in their €20 million approach to sign Rodrigo Bentancur in January.
According to a recent report from Gianluca Di Marzio, Aston Villa have been dealt a fresh blow in their pursuit of Rodrigo Bentancur. The Premier League outfit were keen on securing a late move for the Juventus star, with new coach Steven Gerrard looking for midfield reinforcements.
Villa even followed up their interest by tabling a €20 million offer for Bentancur. However, it appears their proposal has been rejected by Juventus, who are not convinced with the value, knowing BOCA Juniors hold 30% rights on the player’s future sale. It would mean the Argentine giants are set to receive around €6 million in a potential €20 million deal, leaving Bianconeri with very little revenue.
However, Juventus do remain open to a sale in January for Bentancur. They have even identified a number of replacements should the Uruguayan international leave the club this week. Denis Zakaria, for one, remains a top target for coach Massimiliano Allegri, although they are set to face stiff competition from FC Barcelona.
Other than Bentancur, Juventus were expected to offload Arthur Melo in January, with Arsenal emerging as the likely suitor. Unfortunately, the Serie A giants aren’t willing to match the Londoners’ demands for a loan deal; instead, they prefer a permanent sale that will allow Allegri and his coaching staff to effectively find a replacement.
Meanwhile, Juventus holding out for a higher value for Bentancur should serve as a major blow for Aston Villa. Gerrard was keen to find a new midfielder in January who could replace the injured Marvelous Nakamba during the second half of the campaign. Other than the Uruguayan international, they were also rebuffed in their pursuit of Joe Gomez this month.
The Liverpool centre-back was Gerrard’s desired replacement for the outgoing Axel Tuanzebe. But on a positive note, Aston Villa have been able to secure a deal to sign Calum Chambers from Arsenal.
They might not have found similar luck in pursuing a new midfielder, but it will be interesting to see whether the Villans come up with an improved bid for Bentancur. With just a few days remaining before the transfer market slams shut, time is certainly running out for Gerrard and his troops.
