Juventus and Sassuolo had another sit-down to go over the Manuel Locatelli deal. While the proverbial white smoke has not arrived yet, the two parties have made substantial progress this time around. They will meet again right after August 15th to finalize the agreement.
According to Gianluca Di Marzio, the bigwigs negotiated in Turin, but not at the Juventus HQ. The Bianconeri have upped their offer to €35M, including add-ons. The Emilians want a little more, but the two sides are very close on that monetary element of the transfer.
On the other hand, they diverge on its formula. The Neroverdi are willing to accept a season-long loan with an obligation to buy in 2022. Although, it would have to be automatic, with no conditions triggering it. Instead, Juventus proposed to tie it to a future Champions League qualification. They would prefer it to be a two-year one, as they have to pay Federico Chiesa next summer.
Such aspect should easily be settled in the next appointment, Alfredo Pedullà informs. Juventus raised their previous offer, advancing the talks in a meaningful fashion. They had previously put on the table at most €32M including bonuses.
New CEO Maurizio Arrivabene attended the rendezvous alongside director Federico Cherubini. President Andrea Agnelli greeted the guests but did not actively participate, Sky Sport relays. Sassuolo fielded both their top executives Giovanni Carnevali and Giovanni Rossi. The meeting lasted for about an hour, and the package will not include any youngster as a makeweight, Goal.com reports.