Juventus have now emerged as the frontrunners in the race to sign LOSC Lille wantaway winger Edon Zhegrova.
The Serie A giants have already acquired the services of the Kosovan’s former teammate, Jonathan David, who signed as a free agent in June.
But unlike the Canadian striker, Zhegrova remains tied to Lille, albeit with a contract expiring at the end of the season. Therefore, the Ligue 1 side is in favour of a sale, as they don’t want to lose yet another key player for free.
Edon Zhegrova emerges as a priority for Juventus
Juventus are hoping to pounce on the situation, and reunite the tricky winger with his former partner-in-crime. Bianconeri fans might remember how the two players combined to score against Thiago Motta’s side in the Champions League group stage last season,in a contest that ended 1-1.
According to Tuttosport via IlBianconero, Juventus are now leading the race for Zhegrova, and they already have an agreement with the player’s entourage for a five-year contract and a yearly salary of €2.5 million.
Edon Zhegrova warming up
(Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)
Moreover, the source reveals how Bournemouth unintentionally lent the Bianconeri a hand by selling Hamed Junior Traore to Olympique Marseille.
OM were considered Juve’s main rivals in the race for Zhegrova, but now that they have signed the versatile Ivorian, they have seemingly ended their interest in the Kosovan winger.
What Juventus must do to secure Zhegrova
Juventus must now strike an agreement for Lille. Damien Comolli has been hoping to convince his French compatriots to accept an offer worth €15 million, while the Ligue 1 side has been holding out for a slightly higher price.
Moreover, the Turin-based newspaper believes that Zhegrova’s future is intertwined with that of Nico Gonzalez.
The Argentinian winger is wanted at Atletico Madrid, but it remains to be seen if Juventus will be able to offload him in time, and make room for the Lille star.
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Michel Sakr
Michel is a football journalist based in Beirut who has been a die-hard Juventus supporter since 1996. He is a Law graduate and a member of the Beirut Bar Association. In addition to writing for Juve FC, he is also the Head Writer for The Laziali and a Featured Writer on other websites including Stretty News, and The Cult of Calcio.