Juventus Transfer News: Beppe Marotta Addresses Pietro Pellegri Rumours
Juventus chief executive Beppe Marotta has said the Bianconeri are interested in Genoa starlet Pietro Pellegri, revealing the Italian champions held talks for the teenager two years ago.
Speaking to Premium Sport (h/t Calciomercato.com), Marotta didn't hide the fact the teenager is still on the club's radar:
"We are interested in signing him, that's for sure.
"We've always been interested in signing him. We talked to him two years ago but his price-tag, of course, was way lower than today's. He is a great talent but it takes time to become a champion. He can become a top player. [Fiorentina star] Chiesa is another great player but we are not interested in signing him."
The report mentioned Serie A rivals Inter Milan and AC Milan, as well as Chelsea and Manchester United as possible suitors.
Gianluca Di Marzio previously reported Milan have reserved an option on the 16-year-old, but similar claims have been made for other teams, and nothing is yet official.
Pellegri has long been regarded as one of the top young talents in Italy, but the rumour mill has gone into overdrive since he scored a brace against in-form Lazio on Sunday.
Here's a brief introduction, courtesy of B/R Football:
The 6'3" forward is already drawing comparisons to former Juventus star Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and he certainly has a similar profile. Pellegri is far stronger than most players in his age group and combines his great size with surprisingly light feet and good technical ability.
The Italy under-17 forward showed his instincts on both of his goals against Lazio, twice being in the right place at the right time to convert. His scoring record in youth matches is fantastic, and Pellegri has the makings of a future star.
Per Bleacher Report's Adam Digby, top clubs could take the plunge soon:
Prying him out of Genoa won't be an easy task, however. His father, Marco Pellegri, is an assistant with the Grifone and has carefully guided his son throughout his career so far. His presence on the bench during the match against Lazio led to these fantastic images:
Per the Guardian's Paolo Bandini, Marco Pellegri is a lifelong fan of the club. He's likely to keep his son in Genoa for now, with plenty of minutes on offer for the teenager.
The two won't be in a rush to move to a bigger club―Genoa have a superb track record as far as training young forwards go.
One option could be an immediate loan back to the Grifone, and that's the type of move Juventus have plenty of experience with. The Bianconeri often swoop in to sign Italy's young talents but rarely bring them to Turin straight away.
Just last season, Juventus signed Mattia Caldara and Riccardo Orsolini before sending them straight back to Atalanta and Ascoli, respectively. Neither will feature for the Bianconeri this season.
Such a transfer of Pellegri could be the best option for everyone involved. With Moise Kean also on the books in Turin, Juventus could effectively lock up Italy's two most feared strikers from the 2017 UEFA European Under-17 Championship.
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