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Hello and welcome to the Serie A news and rumours of the day! As usual, there are many exciting stories from the rumour mill to read. So, let's take a look at the top stories of the day surrounding the Italian league.
Pep Guardiola calls for Leonardo Bonucci at Manchester City
The Old Lady have been very close to Matthijs de Ligt recently. The 19-year-old had an impressive spell with Ajax last season, starting all of Ajax's Champions League and Eredivisie matches. Numerous European top clubs have gathered interest for the starlet, but Juventus are just an inch from a total agreement with the player.
De Ligt's arrival, however, would impact Leonardo Bonnuci's future at the Serie A outfit. Bonnuci was one of Massimiliano Allegri's favourites last season, amassing 27 appearances as a starter. Juventus bought him on a swap deal involving Mattia Caldara, who joined AC Milan as a result of the transfer.
However, Bonucci was less than impressive last season, as he failed to win the Champions League with Juventus. De Ligt, on the other hand, performed better than his Juventus counterpart and led Ajax to the semi-final. Manchester City and PSG have put an interest for the Italian defender.
According to a report, Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola even called Juventus to discuss the future of the 32-year-old. The Premier League champion lost former captain Vincent Kompany after the Belgian decided to become player-manager of Anderlecht. Thus, Bonucci could serve as a suitable replacement for the 33-year-old.
Maurizio Sarri joined Juventus after the 60-year-old won the Europa League with Chelsea. Guardiola had been closely linked with Juventus's managerial job before Sarri's appointment. However, the Spaniard has repeatedly insisted that he will stay at Manchester City.
Stefano Sensi praises Antonio Conte following Inter move
Sassuolo midfielder Stefano Sensi has officially signed for Inter on loan with an option to buy. Sensi was one of Sassuolo's standout players last season, scoring 2 goals and 4 assists from 28 league appearances.
The midfielder will join other Inter new signings such as Diego Godin and Valentino Lazaro. Inter barely secured another Champions League football last season, as the club finished just a point ahead of 5th-placed AC Milan.
However, Inter's next season objective will be to secure a Scudetto following Antonio Conte's appointment. Sensi believes that the former Chelsea manager has a winning mentality and will help him grow as a player.
"I am very happy, I have already seen several faces of the new Inter family, I met very sociable people, and they make you feel at ease. The fans welcomed me in a big way and made me a beautiful impression, this it is already a good starting point, I expect a tough year, a great job because Inter wants to go back to being what it deserves: a great team at European level.
"This year there are all the conditions to do well and for this to happen. The feeling is indescribable, I honestly never expected it, but now I am here, and I will give my best to work hard and have the coach find me ready. Certainly, Conte is an important coach, with a winning mentality and is what he needs in today's football, he is an impact coach who makes you grow, and I can't wait to start working with him," he concluded.
Agent urges Inter to step up their pursuit for Romelu Lukaku
It has now become clear that Inter Milan are interested in the Manchester United forward. Lukaku's agent Federico Pastorello has confirmed that his client is one of Inter's transfer targets. Lukaku has endured harsh criticisms after the striker scored just 12 goals from 32 league appearances.
The 26-year-old has revealed that he wants to play in Serie A one day, and Inter could be a suitable club to fulfil his dream. However, the transfer seems difficult to happen for the Serie A outfit as Manchester United are yet to agree upon a fee for the player. Nevertheless, Inter still have a chance to snap the Belgian, and Pastorello urges the Italian club to step up their pursuit if they seriously want the player.
“There are no particular new developments, just a chat with the director to understand the situation better and we’ll see what decisions they have to make,” the agent said.
“We certainly don’t decide the timing. If the player wants to be signed, they need to move towards him too.”
Inter reportedly trying to spread the Lukaku's €70 million cost by introducing a paid two-year loan with option or obligation to buy.
“I’ve never stated numbers, so I don’t know if those are the figures they’ve got in mind. You’d have to ask Inter. Lukaku is certainly a declared transfer target, but declaring a target doesn’t necessarily mean achieving it.
“It’s still very difficult.”
Agent urges AS Roma to go for Armando Izzo
Izzo has turned out to be a revelation for Torino since joined the club just a year ago. He managed to start nearly all of Torino's Serie A games and maintained impressive defensive records. He averaged more than 2 clearances, tackles and intercepts per game.
His excellent form helped Torino to become one of the best defensive teams in Serie A. Top Premier League clubs such as Arsenal and Manchester United have chased the Italian star. However, Izzo's agent Paolo Palermo has suggested that AS Roma could be the best fit for his client.
“I don’t know about an offer from Roma,” Palermo said.
“The decision is Cairo’s, but the lad is 27 years old, and if he has the chance to improve, I’ll do everything possible to let him take it.
“Izzo has worked hard and shown that he’s one of the best in his role in Europe. Indeed, I believe he’s among the best in our League.
“Regarding his €30m valuation, he must be evaluated for what he’s done so far and shown on the field. Therefore, he deserves a valuation of this kind.
“In my humble opinion, Roma would be the perfect team for Armando.”
Roma have sold star player Kostas Manolas to Napoli. Thus, the club might need to search for a top centre back as a replacement for the Greek defender.
Barcelona offer €75 million plus bonuses to hijack Matthijs de Ligt
Juventus have been linked with the Ajax starlet for some time now. De Ligt has been one of the most wanted defenders in the transfer market at the moment. His recent impressive spell with Ajax has prompted interest from several European giants such as Manchester United, Paris Saint Germain, and Barcelona
However, the Old Lady are said to be the frontrunners in the drawn-out transfer saga. The Serie A champions seem to have found agreement with the player. Unfortunately, the Juventus and Ajax are yet to agree on the transfer fee. Juventus insist that they will pay €65 million plus €10 million in bonuses for the 19-year-old.
On the other hand, Barcelona have not given up on their pursuit of the Ajax defender and have tabled a higher bid than the Old Lady. The Catalans are willing to pay €75 million as a fixed fee and also ready to add some bonuses, according to a report from Marca, via Calciomercato.
