Manchester City have already reached an “agreement” with Juventus defender Andrea Cambiaso on personal terms, according to reports in Italy.
Both Liverpool and Arsenal have been mentioned as potential rivals for the fullback’s signature in recent days.
However, the Gazzetta Dello Sport claim that the Cityzens remain in pole position to sign Cambiaso if Juve decide to offload the player at the end of the season.
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The Bianconeri need to raise funds in order to balance the books, and Cambiaso is seen as one of their biggest assets.
They could be willing to sacrifice the player, with Gazzetta reporting that his asking price has been set at around €60m (£50m).
Cambiaso was “one step away” from joining City in January
Pep Guardiola’s side remain favourites for Cambiaso because they have been working on a deal to secure his services for several months.
Talks with Juventus were initially opened during the January transfer window and, while a deal was ultimately not finalised, Gazzetta say the move was close, claiming it was “one step away” from being completed. That means it wouldn’t take much for the transfer to be revived in the summer.
Why is the Italian in such high demand?
The 25-year-old is two-footed, so he is equally comfortable playing at right or left-back. If he does make the switch to the Etihad, he is expected to be deployed on the right.
With Kyle Walker set to join AC Milan on a permanent basis when his loan spell comes to an end, a replacement will be needed, and Cambiaso has been identified as the perfect candidate.
The fact that personal terms are agreed would suggest that the Italian international is open to the move, so it is now up to Juve to decide whether they will let him go.
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