Euro transfer news – Juventus set to nab Milos Krasic
Published:Italian giants Juventus look to have got one over on their Europa League rivals Manchester City by being unveiled as the preferred destination of Serbian Milos Krasic.
Juve are 14/1 fourth-favourites to win the less glamorous of European football’s knockout events, while City are the 6/1 front-runners.
The debate between Krasic’s CSKA Moscow and the two chasing clubs has been going on for some time now with the Russian side looking to extract as much money for their £12.5million-rated winger as possible.
Despite reaching the quarter-finals of last season’s Champions League, CSKA only qualified for the Europa League this year, which they are a decent price of 33/1 to win.
On hand to clear up matters, however, is the player’s agent Marco Naletilic, who said today that Turin is Krasic’s choice.
“I am not in Russia or in Italy but travelled to Moscow to discuss Krasic’s move to Juventus with CSKA,” he said.
“The problem is simple – Manchester City are offering more money to CSKA, and they [CSKA] want to sell to the English club. Milos just wants to play in Turin.”
A perceived stumbling block is Juventus’ reluctance to raise a bid of £12.2million to £13.4million but such is CSKA’s shortage of cash, they will continue to hold out for maximum profit.
Another Juve target is also being pursued by City with the Italian club’s general director, Giuseppe Marotta yesterday stating that Edin Dzeko would be a “dream” signing for the Turin team.
Dzeko, who has scored 62 league goals over the last two seasons, is according to Marotta: “one of the best strikers in the world and clearly he is an object of our desire.”
The Bosnian striker’s club Wolfsburg are not in Europe this season but with Steve McClaren at the helm, have odds of 11/4 to qualify for the 2011/12 Champions League. See the full Wolfsburg Specials market.
Reports have also surfaced that Juventus may switch their attention from Dzeko, if the cost gets too high.
The club are proposing a player plus cash deal involving Brazilian Diego but they may instead offer a similar deal to Bayern Munich for World Cup star Bastian Schweinsteiger.
The Bundesliga champions are 14/1 to win this season’s Champions League and would be hesitant to part with such an important player lightly, though.
Juventus were dramatically knocked out of last year’s Europa League by Fulham and need to build a strong squad if they are to start challenging Europe as once they did. Reigning Europa League champions Atletico Madrid are 12/1 to reatin their title.
