Juventus have Aymeric Laporte among the several options to replace Giorgio Chiellini. However, he is extremely expensive. Manchester City would sign off on his departure only if they acquired another top center-back.
According to Corriere dello Sport, the Bianconeri have shortlisted the 28-year-old in case of a favorable chain of events in the summer. But it is a long shot considering that he has been a full-time starter in 2021/2022, differently from the previous two seasons, where he also dealt with some injuries.
Juventus would have to spend at least €40 to onboard Laporte, Tuttomercatoweb informs. It is not the first time they have eyed the Spanish center-back. But his price tag and wages complicate their pursuit. He would be more attainable than Kalidou Koulibaly, though, given their rivalry with Napoli.
The Old Lady has been linked to a host of alternatives for the role. But they have not accelerated for any of them just yet. They are more focused on chasing Angel Di Maria and Paul Pogba, who are available on free transfers. Yesterday’s meeting with the agents of El Fideo was inconclusive.
No (big) news after yesterday meeting between #Juventus and Di Maria’s entourage. El Fideo still wants a 1yr contract, there is a gap between offer and request. The parties will update in the next days ??⚪️⚫️@goal
— Romeo Agresti (@romeoagresti) June 2, 2022
In addition, they are waiting to see whether Atalanta will indeed buy out Merih Demiral. It is no longer a lock despite previous optimism. The relationship between the Turkish international and Gian Piero Gasperini deteriorated in the final matches, as the coach often picked his teammates over him.
Our Take on Juventus Eyeing Laporte
While stylistically different, the Spaniard would be an apt substitute for Chiellini. But it is improbable that Juventus will pay that splurge for Laporte or Koulibaly. They do necessarily have to sign a star. They can afford to go younger, with Leonardo Bonucci and Matthijs De Ligt as the go-to pair at first.