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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.
Manchester United ready to cash in on Romelu Lukaku after breakthrough
Inter Milan have chased Lukaku for some time now. It is understandable that the Milan-based club have a clear ambition to end Juventus dominance in Serie A following the appointment of Antonio Conte, and Lukaku would be an essential part for them to achieve the objective.
The Red Devils are said to demand straight cash for the player, but Inter cannot afford to pay Lukaku's full price upfront. Fortunately, a recent report states that a transfer breakthrough has been made.
The Italian outfits are set to pay a total of £62 million, with £9 million for a two-season loan and obligation to buy for £53 million. The amount is considerably lower than the £75 million that Manchester United paid to Everton.
Lukaku has revealed his desire to play in Italy one day. The player's agent Federico Pastorello also confirmed that the Serie A side are pushing for a deal. However, the agent added that the transfer will still be difficult to happen.
“Yes, he’s publicly expressed his plans and desires,” Pastorello said.
"We’ll see what happens.”
“Lukaku [joining Inter] is a dream, a difficult one to make happen as such, but I believe nothing is impossible. It’s not impossible, and Inter is trying hard.”
Manchester United bought the former Everton striker in 2017. However, Lukaku has struggled to justify the price tag since moving to Old Trafford. The 26-year-old scored just 12 times and failed to provide any assist from 32 league appearances. He lost his place to Marcus Rashford last season and might need to change his club to earn more game time.
Lucas Torreira denies AC Milan talks
The Uruguayan revealed that he has struggled to adapt to life in the Premier League since moving to Arsenal. Torreira spent the majority of his career in Italy, playing for Pescara and Sampdoria. He enjoyed a relatively excellent season with Arsenal, making 34 league appearances and scoring twice.
However, many expect him to return to Italy due to his off-field problem. AC Milan have been closely linked with the midfielder, especially after the Serie A side appointed Marco Giampaolo as their new manager. Giampaolo had worked together with Torreira during the manager's stint at Sampdoria.
Unfortunately for Milan fans, Torreira has denied any talks with the Milan-based club.
“I don’t know anything about interest from Milan. Nobody has called me,” said the 23-year-old.
“I am in the Premier League today and am happy to be part of Arsenal. It’s true, it hasn’t been easy adapting, but I am only thinking of the team now.
“I’m happy to be in London.”
Matthijs de Ligt agrees to join Juventus because of release clause
Matthijs de Ligt's transfer saga seems to be near its conclusion, as The Old Lady are said to have struck a deal for the defender. Many top European clubs like Barcelona, Manchester United and PSG have all been previously said to be close to signing the 19-year-old.
However, after several twists and turns, it seems as though the Serie A champion are now the favourites to land the Ajax sensation. Juventus are prepared to offer a massive salary to the 19-year-old, and according to a report, Juventus will have to pay a salary of £7m per season net plus various bonuses for the Ajax starlet.
De Ligt has agreed on personal terms with the Old Lady, and Juventus will have to pay Ajax £62 million. The report further states that a release clause of £134 million is also included in the deal. The clause is said to be a decisive factor of the transfer, as PSG failed to complete the deal several weeks ago due to this particular reason.
