Juventus signed Leandro Paredes on loan from PSG last summer, and a few conditions would force them to buy him out at the end of the season. The most straightforward one was the qualification to the Round of 16 of the Champions League, which didn’t happen.
As per La Gazzetta dello Sport, the clause will turn into a simple option, and the Bianconeri will have the second half decide whether to activate it. They’d have to pay €22.6M, plus €5M add-ons. Instead, they face a €2.5M penalty if they don’t. His wages are among the highest on the roster, as he makes €7.5M per year.
Paredes has featured 13 times since joining Juventus, progressively falling out of favor. He has logged just 59 minutes during their recent winning streak, partly due to a thigh injury. He had gotten a lot of playing time early on, despite visibly lacking conditioning.
Massimiliano Allegri envisioned him as his new Miralem Pjanic, as he was supposed to pull the strings. Nicolò Fagioli and Fabio Miretti outshined him in the final few matches. At this stage, the Old Lady is unlikely to pick up the option, but they might re-negotiate the terms of the deal with PSG if he improves.
Our Take on Paredes and Juventus
The Bianconeri could still use a pure maestro from time to time, especially in easier matches. However, with Manuel Locatelli finally hitting his stride, the two youngsters flourishing, and Paul Pogba coming back in January, it’ll be challenging for the Argentine to be a regular. His performances and salary don’t help his case. If the club’s grand plan is indeed to land Sergej Milinkovic-Savic eventually, then Locatelli, or a bulldog, would cover such role long-term.
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