Dejan Kulusevski's Agent Says Youngster Chose Juventus over Inter Milan, Others

Juventus announced the signing of Atalanta starlet Dejan Kulusevski on Thursday, and according to his agent, the reported Manchester United target picked the Bianconeri over Inter Milan and other clubs domestic and abroad.

The 19-year-old completed his medical and put pen to paper on Thursday, but he will return to Parma on loan. 

According to Sky in Italy, Juventus will pay a fee of £37.3 million including bonuses to land Kulusevski, who joined Atalanta as a youth prospect in 2016. The winger only made three senior appearances for La Dea before moving to Parma on a temporary basis this season.

He had been strongly linked with several Premier League clubs, including Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea. His agent Stefano Sem told Radio Sportiva (h/t Football Italia) he turned down several clubs, including Inter, in favour of the Old Lady:

"You know the name of Inter, but certainly there were other clubs interested in him, both from abroad and in Italy, but the lad asked to go ahead with Juve.

"Technically there was the possibility of going to Juve in January, but it needed everyone’s approval. He’s happy to stay in Parma, and they didn’t want to release him in January.

"The satisfaction is obviously high because the boy goes to play in one of the best teams in the world. Then we will see how the situation will evolve in the [following] years.

"Atalanta makes the biggest transfer in their history, whilst Parma gets to keep the player until the end of the season. Everybody wins."

While Atalanta supporters will be disappointed they didn't get to see more of the prodigy in their club colours, Italian football journalist David Amoyal noted that this a fine deal for them:

The transfer is also potentially a fantastic move from Juventus, as they have secured one of the most exciting talents in Italian football.

Kulusevski has blossomed at Parma this term with regular minutes, showcasing a composure that belies his tender years.

Per OptaPaolo, there aren't any players in European football of a similar age to rival the new Juventus player in terms of productivity:

In addition to his smart passing and goalscoring quality, Kulusevski has showcased versatility in terms of where he lines up at Parma, although he's primarily been used on the right flank.

He poses a huge threat for opposition teams on the counter-attack, as he can carry the ball quickly through phases of the field and make smart decisions at the end of his surges. In years to come, that will be a huge help for the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Paulo Dybala.

B/R Football's Gianni Verschueren said Juventus face a tricky decision on when to integrate the youngster into the first-team setup:

By the end of the season, the club will likely have a better idea of where Kulusevski is in his development and in what area of the field he can be utilised most effectively.

The Italian champions will be delighted to have secured the acquisition of a huge talent nonetheless, beating several other clubs to his signature.