Matthijs de Ligt offered to Manchester United despite Juventus agreement, agent confirms Barcelona's interest in Lautaro Martinez and more,12 July 2019
Hello and welcome to the Serie A news and rumours of the day! As usual, there are many exciting stories from the rumour mill to read. So, let's take a look at the top stories of the day surrounding the Italian top flight.
Rodrigo de Paul wants Udinese exit
The Argentinian midfielder has impressed since joining Udinese for just €3 million in 2016. He became an instant hit at the club, amassing 32 appearances as a starter and scoring 4 goals in his debut Serie A season.
The 25-year-old seems to have reached the peak of his career. He started 36 league games in the 2018/19 season and was involved in no less than 17 goals last term. The former Valencia star even earned an Argentina call-up to play in the Copa America. He was able to convince Lionel Scaloni, as he started 5 out of 6 Argentina matches in the competition.
However, Udinese might struggle to keep the player, as De Paul confirmed that he wants to leave for Champions League club. Udinese finished just 4 points above the relegation zone last season.
“I want to play in the Champions League, I want to take a step forward in my career,” the 25-year-old revealed.
Nevertheless, he still maintains high respect for his current club and states that every interested team must meet Udinese's demands first.
“I want to grow even more, but it won’t happen until someone meets Udinese’s demands.
“Still, I want to play in the Champions League again, whether that’s in Italy, Spain or the Premier League," he concluded.
De Paul has been linked with several top European clubs such as Inter Milan, Napoli and Tottenham Hotspur. However, the player still has 4 years left on his contract and does not have a release clause. Thus, Udinese will likely demand a huge fee for the 25-year-old.