Transfers and Rumours Thread

[tonykart]

Is Benzema a primo punto or a secondo punto? Seems more like a second striker to me. Dzeko seems more like a true striker. I would be happier with either of them. But, there is definitely a great need for a player like Cassano. We take a huge step up in quality and he will improve the team much more than any other striker we've been linked with.

[Bagg10]

Thursday 18 November, 2010
Maxi tops Juventus shortlist



Juventus have decided to make an offer for Catania striker Maxi Lopez in the January transfer window, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport.

Beppe Marotta is keen to reinforce the centre-forward position, as Vincenzo Iaquinta and particularly Amauri aren't offering guarantees.

Juventus had hoped to bring in someone of Diego Forlan's ilk, but the Atletico Madrid striker costs too much after his award-winning performances at the World Cup in South Africa.

La Gazzetta claims Marotta has sent his scouts to watch Lopez in recent matches and that his good relationship with Pietro Lo Monaco will smooth the way for a deal.

Juventus did business with Catania in the summer, signing Uruguayan winger Jorge Martinez for a sizeable fee.

Lopez scored 11 goals in 17 games for the Sicilian outfit last season following a move from Gremio in January.

He has an Italian passport and although he has only found the net twice in the current campaign, Maxi is still being linked with a big move.

http://www.football-italia.net/nov18d.html

[Bagg10]

[Bagg10]

Juventus Tracking Rubin Kazan Defender Salvatore Bocchetti
Rubin Kazan defender Salvatore Bocchetti is being followed by Juventus who could fund a move in January...

By Salvatore Landolina
Nov 18, 2010 11:39:00 AM

Juventus are following Salvatore Bocchetti of Rubin Kazan with a view to landing him in January, according to Il Corriere dello Sport.

The Italian defender has been in Russia since August when he left Genoa, but he could return to Italy sooner than expected.

Bocchetti cuts a dash with Juventus who are actively searching for defenders, and the news was met with welcome tones by the player's agent Andrea D'Amico.

"Rubin are the ones controlling things. It's true that the Russian league will finish in around 10 days, but the European season is very different and so we would have to see what happens in that environment," the agent said.

"Of course, it will not be down to the player to ask to leave. If Juventus want to make the first move then they must do it.

"For the moment there is nothing concrete, but an appreciation of a player who is 24 years old and is already showing plenty."

Goal.com

[ricky2882]

We should have gotten Bocchetti last summer. We knew Grosso wasn't part of our plans, and Traore' was always going to be a sub to De Ceglie.

I wanted a defensive-minded LB like Bocchetti mainly because I was hoping to have Giovinco play on the left wing. He can also play CB (which was originally his primary position I think), which would have been very useful.

[Bagg10]

Saturday 20 November, 2010
Juve zero in on Benzema



Juventus sent scouts to view Karim Benzema at Wembley and are focusing on him as the replacement for injured Amauri.
The Real Madrid benchwarmer scored in France’s 2-1 international friendly victory against England on Wednesday night.

There were reportedly Bianconeri scouts in the stands in London to report on Benzema’s progress.

Juve need a new striker after Amauri was ruled out for six weeks by a knee injury.

While other options include Diego Forlan and Maxi Lopez, it is widely believed Benzema is the prime target.

He would be available for around €15m, though it is also possible Real Madrid would agree to loan him out.

http://www.football-italia.net/nov20f.html

[Zoff82]

Cazzano and Benzema to Juve in January

[juventino_italiano]

[Bagg10]

Monday 22 November, 2010
Lopez puts Catania above Juve



Maxi Lopez insists he is not thinking about a possible move to Juventus in January. “I only have Catania on my mind.”

The Argentine hitman, who holds an Italian passport, has been associated with a switch to Turin after Christmas.

However, the former Barcelona player maintains that he is just concentrating on his current club right now.

“It is pleasing to be paired with a great side like Juventus, but I am calm and I am only thinking about helping Catania avoid relegation,” he noted.

Catania are joint tenth in the standings after a 1-0 win over Bari yesterday, a victory which saw the South American dismissed.

“I’m happy with the win, but saddened by my red card,” added the 2009 January signing.

“We struggled a bit in the first half. However, in the second we played with intensity and deserved to win the match.”

http://www.football-italia.net/nov22w.html

[tonykart]

[juventino_italiano]

Juve in pole for Cassano



Juventus are reportedly the favourites to sign Antonio Cassano even though the club has distanced itself from the Sampdoria playmaker.

La Gazzetta dello Sport claims Gigi Del Neri and Beppe Marotta are keeping a close eye on his situation despite insisting publicly that he is incompatible with Juventus' project.

They worked with Cassano at Sampdoria and both have an intimate knowledge of his strengths and weaknesses.

The pink paper understands that Juventus believe Cassano's arrival in January could be just the kind of boost that makes the difference in the title race.

However, they are both being coy at the moment, partly because the 28-year-old's future is still in doubt.

The court of arbitration is due to give a decision on Sampdoria's request that Cassano's contract be rescinded this coming Friday.

It's still not remotely clear whether Sampdoria's reasons will be considered strong enough to advocate Cassano's dismissal.

The Italy international has been frozen out of Sampdoria's team for a month after a high profile falling out with Riccardo Garrone, the club's President

[tonykart]

I can only hope we are smart enough to make that move.

[Bagg10]

Friday 10 December, 2010
Sissoko to leave in the summer

Juventus midfielder Momo Sissoko looks set to leave the club in the summer after his agent Jose Segui revealed that they are considering alternative arrangments.

The Mali international is no longer a first team regular in Turin and reports claim that Juventus would like to cash in on him amid interest from Wolfsburg and Schalke.

“We are looking for a new arrangement for Sissoko,” Segui explained.

“I think that he'll finish the season with Juventus because a sale right now would be too expensive [for interested clubs].

“But I believe that we are looking for a new club in Germany, in Spain or in England,” he concluded.

http://www.football-italia.net/dec10w.html

[Bagg10]

Thursday 9 December, 2010
Juventus consider bid for Pinilla



Juventus general manager Beppe Marotta is wondering whether to launch a bid for Palermo striker Mauricio Pinilla.

The Old Lady is in the market for a striker, but would like to do business on the cheap, knowing that his first choice targets like Maxi Lopez, Karim Benzema and Alberto Gilardino are too expensive, especially in the January transfer window.

La Gazzetta dello Sport understands that Pinilla has always been something of a favourite of Marotta's because of his versatility as a centre-forward.

The Chile international scored 24 goals in 24 games for Serie B side Grosseto last season and has settled down well in Sicily, finding the net on five occasions in the current campaign.

However, it all depends on Palermo President Maurizio Zamparini who is unlikely to want to weaken his squad in light of the club's efforts to qualify for next year's Champions League.

http://www.football-italia.net/dec09g.html

[Bagg10]

Friday 10 December, 2010
Where will Cassano play?

Two of Italy’s most experienced sporting directors have given their opinion on where they think Antonio Cassano will move to in January.

The No 10’s Sampdoria career is over after a falling out with President Riccardo Garrone, a bust-up which could see the player’s Marassi contract rescinded.

No matter whether his Doria agreement is terminated or not, Cassano will sign with another club even if it is unclear where he will end up.

“I think that he could go to Inter,” Fiorentina sporting director Pantaleo Corvino told the Corriere dello Sport.

Inter are expected to strengthen their squad in the New Year, but former Palermo DS Rino Foschi doesn’t believe Cassano will star at San Siro.

“His most likely destinations in Italy are Fiorentina or Palermo,” the now Padova official noted. “He certainly won’t play for Juventus or Napoli.

“Knowing [Palermo President Maurizio] Zamparini, he would welcome Cassano with open arms, as would my friend Corvino in Florence.

“Although we’ll have to wait for the verdict over his contract, I’d say it was 50-50 between Fiorentina and Palermo.”

http://www.football-italia.net/dec10a.html

[ricky2882]

I don't see Cassano joining us, to be honest. With Del Capitano and Quagliarella, we're pretty much set in the secondo punto postion (Delneri's not going to abandon his 4-4-2).

On the other hand, though, we know Cassano's temperament and personality can be handled by Delneri.

[red]

Aye, a goal scorer is certainly more of a priority than another creative forward.

Would still be tempting, if no other forwards were on the market in January, to sign Cassano and use Quag as a main striker for the rest of the season, though.

[ricky2882]

Quagliarella's more effective at a more withdrawn position, though. We really should get a main striker this winter.

Of course, one can't help but ask whether regardless of Quag's most effective position, what is better - [Quag + new prima punta] OR [Cassano + Quag].

[Bagg10]

Quags has been pretty effective up top regardless of who he plays with, whether it's been a prima punta (iaq) or seconda punta (Del P), so I can only imagine that a Quags-Cassano partnership would be successful. We have to see if there are any target men available that could help the team out more than Cassano can, which i don't think we'll find.

[red]