Serie A Transfer News: Juventus reportedly reserve squad number for Mauro Icardi
What's the story?
Serie A champions Juventus have reportedly reserved their No.9 squad number for Argentine striker Mauro Icardi. The Italian giants could make a move for the Inter Milan forward in August.
In case you didn't know...
Mauro Icardi's differences with the club saw him being stripped of captaincy last season. Furthermore, after the appointment of Antonio Conte as the manager of Inter Milan, Icardi was one of the two players who were told that they were not in the plans for the upcoming season.
Juventus's goal-scoring form last season was not boosted by the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo. Hence, after improving the other areas of the squad, the club is intent on bolstering its forward line.
The heart of the matter
If recent reports are to be believed, it seems that Juventus has set its sights on Icardi to fulfill the striker role in 2019-20. They have reserved the No.9 jersey for the Argentine and it has also been reported that Icardi has agreed a contract with the club.
However, the agreement between Inter Milan and Juventus is still pending with the former wanting close to €50-60million for their ex-captain. Meanwhile, the Old Lady's valuation of the player is much lesser and the club is willing to stretch the transfer saga as deep as possible in a bid to reduce Inter Milan's asking price.
What's next?
Juventus has been extremely active in the ongoing transfer window. While the club has resigned goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, Matthijs de Ligt is the club's marquee signing this summer.
Additionally, they have also brought on board Aaron Ramsey and Adrien Rabiot on free transfers. In the process, they have strengthened their midfield without spending any money.
If the club can pull off a move for Icardi, Juventus could well become an irresistible force in the upcoming season, both in the Serie A and the Champions League.