Juventus sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli hasn’t given up his pursuit of Bologna defender Riccardo Calafiori despite the Italian’s substantial price tag. According to Calciomercato, Giuntoli will fight tooth and nail until the end of the summer to lure the former Basel rearguard to Turin.
Bologna comfortably rebuffed the Bianconeri’s initial offer for their rising star. Juventus lodged a €25 million bid for Calafiori immediately after the end of the 2023/24 campaign. Vincenzo Italiano’s men have pinned a €40m asking price on the 22-year-old and are unwilling to budge on their valuation.
However, Juventus remain hopeful of closing the deal for Calafiori. The appointment of Thiago Motta as their new manager is an ace up their sleeve. Motta turned the Italian youngster into one of the most appreciated defenders in Serie A after signing him from Basel last summer for only €4m.
Motta wants to reunite with Calafiori at Juventus. And the feeling is mutual. That could put wind into the Bianconeri’s sails, although they’ll need to show patience and determination to convince Bologna to offload their prized asset.
Even if the deal falls through this summer, Juventus would wait for Calafiori for another year. It would work even better for the Allianz Arena outfit. It would allow the versatile defender to prove he’s not a ‘one-season wonder’ and cement his household status in Serie A.
On the downside, if Calafiori’s form curve stays on this trajectory, Juventus might need to splash north of Bologna’s current valuation to complete his signing. Meanwhile, their quest to capture Napoli’s Giovanni Di Lorenzo has received a massive boost as the player’s agent confirmed his decision to part with the former champions.
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