A four-year deal is set in Turin. As a partial counterpart, the neroverdi prefer Iling Jr over Soulé. Now the right formula needs to be worked out.
Domenico Berardi and Juventus have a preliminary agreement for the next four years. This explains why the Calabrese forward and his agents are pushing hard with Sassuolo to quickly negotiate the move to the ‘bianconeri‘.
Despite the mid-August timeframe, the captain of the ‘neroverdi‘ is persistently pressing, as the club has held firm on the matter so far.
While waiting for direct contact between Juventus Sporting Director Cristiano Giuntoli and counterpart CEO Giovanni Carnevali, the first rumors emerge with the player valued at around 25-30 million euros by the club. Also, the names of Soulé and Iling Junior (as an alternative) appear to reduce the financial aspect of the operation.
In this regard, it is worth remembering that just a year ago (on August 17), Sassuolo announced the captain’s contract extension until 2027, with a significant salary increase, nearly doubled, from 1.8 million euros to around 3 million euros.
It seemed like a lifetime commitment, considering that the Calabrese talent had just turned 29 and had entered the mature phase of his career. That move kept everyone at ease; “Mimmo” is the undisputed leader of Dionisi’s team: a focal point both on and off the field. In the last season, despite a long injury, he left his mark with 12 goals and 7 assists. A noteworthy performance, in line with a consistently outstanding career.
However, it’s evident that the idea of making a big leap has remained at the center of his thoughts in recent months. Even when Maurizio Sarri indicated him to Claudio Lotito as the top choice for reinforcements in June. The Lazio option, was never thoroughly explored; in fact, it ended with controversial statements from the biancoceleste president regarding the player.
On the other hand, over the weeks, the rapport between the player and the Juventus leadership has grown. Giuntoli is at the forefront, but even Massimiliano Allegri blesses an arrival that would raise the technical quality of the offensive front.
FORMULA — According to some rumors in Turin, Juventus want to structure the acquisition similarly to the “Locatelli formula”: that is, a loan with an obligation to buy, allowing Juventus to defer payments in the upcoming seasons.
For instance, in Turin, they might be willing to part with the Argentine Soulé, who was seen on the field several times in the last season. But the suggested valuation of 10 million euros in recent hours doesn’t convince Carnevali or Rossi, the sporting director of the Emilian side. Instead, there’s much more interest in Iling Junior, the lively English winger that Turin has high hopes for.
In the past, Juventus and Sassuolo have conducted numerous successful deals. In fact, years ago, Juventus had secured a right of first refusal on Berardi, although it wasn’t exercised due to the unavailability of the Calabrese forward, who was then determined to continue the leading role in Emilia.
