Rodrigo De Paul was mentioned as an early option to replenish the Juventus midfield, but Cristiano Giuntoli and co. will have to look elsewhere to replace Paul Pogba and Nicolò Fagioli. Atletico Madrid rebuffed their advances and will keep him in January, Tuttomercatoweb informs.
The Bianconeri reached out to the Spanish side a few weeks ago to inquire about the availability of the World Champion. They were met with a rigid stance and moved on.
Rather than weakening their squad by partying ways with De Paul, Atletico Madrid are looking for reinforcements at the position, like Juventus. They too are eyeing PSG’s Fabian Ruiz and Tottenham’s Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.
The Old Lady has probed a few targets but hasn’t decided whom to sign yet. After surging following new contacts with Manchester City, Kalvin Phillips has quickly lost steam again. He demands a consistent role; plus, coach Massimiliano Allegri isn’t totally sure about him.
Our Take on Juventus and De Paul
He would be exactly what the doctor ordered to address their problems, as they need creativity and players ready to contribute right away. Still, even if Atletico Madrid were willing to entertain his departure, he would have probably been too pricey unless they concocted a high-profile swap. Still, they don’t have quality pieces they could just give away without replacing them. They should definitely prioritize offensive-minded options. However, it looks like they’ll simply add somebody cheap and easy to sign.
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