Major tournaments such as the Euro championship are crucial as it gives players a chance to put themselves in the shop window for a move to a bigger club. And Italy's Manuel Locatelli certainly has done just that with his top performances for the Azzurri so far. The 23-year-old currently plays his club football for Sassuolo, but has now garnered attention from several big clubs both in Italy and abroad.
One of these teams is Juventus. As per Sky Italia, the Bianconeri are presently in negotiations with the Neroverdi, who are demanding £34 million (€40 million) for their player. In order to defray the cost, Juventus have proposed a player plus cash option, with Romanian teenage defender Radu Dragusin being one of the names mooted as being used as a makeweight.
In addition, Juventus, who La Gazzetta Dello Sport claim will be meeting with Sassuolo imminently, are also hoping rather than an outright purchase, to sign him on a two year loan with an obligation to buy for about €30 million.
Locatelli first began his career with Atalanta before moving to AC Milan at the age of 11, where he spent seven years in their youth academy before being promoted to the senior team in 2015, and making his full debut in April 2016. After a season long loan with Sassuolo during the 2018/2019 campaign, he was eventually signed permanently by the Neroverdi in 2019.
Juventus will face competition for Locatelli's signature, as Arsenal, Manchester City, and Borussia Dortmund have also been reported to be tracking the Italian international.
