Juventus are reportedly eyeing a cut-price deal in January to bring Manchester City midfielder Fernandinho over to Turin.
Italian publication Calciomercato suggest that Juventus are looking to bring Manchester City midfielder Fernandinho over to Italy. The 31-year-old Brazilian is being eyed by the Turin side as a possible alternative to their long-term target Axel Witsel, to bring over in January with the aim of buffing up their midfield options.
Fernandinho arrived at the Etihad from Shakhtar Donetsk, and has since established himself as an integral part of the first-team setup. After the arrival of Pep Guardiola, the Brazilian has been promoted further up the pecking order and has become one of the first names on the team sheet for the new boss, despite the manager’s habit to chop and change on a regular basis.
Juventus are still at the top of the Serie A table, but they have been unable to replicate their exploits of the previous seasons, which could be credited to the departure of Paul Pogba. The Old Lady have been in search of additions to the midfield in an attempt to fill for the gap left by the French superstar.
The 31-year-old’s current deal is set to expire at the end of the current season and even though Juventus can acquire the player’s services in the summer, the defending Serie A champions are looking to secure a cut-price deal in January to bring the Brazilian over.
AC Milan are also in fray to sign Fernandinho, but Juventus is thought to have the upper hand. The player is set to enter the last six months of his contract in January and Manchester City may look to get some compensation rather than letting the player leave for free.
However, Fernandinho has become a crucial cog and taken on a more leadership-type role in Guardiola’s plans at Etihad. It may so happen that Pep Guardiola will be unwilling to part with the 31-year-old in the midst of the current season, as the former Barcelona manager aims to fight for silverware in his debut campaign as the boss of the blue half of Manchester.
Alternatively, Guardiola may delve into the market for a replacement for Fernandinho and may let the Brazilian leave, if he signs a player that is able to replace the 31-year-old. There have been talks ongoing between the player’s representatives and the Manchester outfit in order to agree to an extension but there have been no reports of a conclusion being anywhere in sight.
Fernandinho may decide to agree on a contract extension at Man City, a club where he has already established himself in the first-team, rather than go into a new league altogether, where he may take time to settle.