Juventus working to overtake Milan in the race for Serbian teenager – Bianconeri have an ace up the sleeve

Transfer News

January 14, 2024 - 3:00 pm

Juventus reportedly have a genuine chance of usurping Milan in the race for Matija Popovic who’s currently a free agent.

The 18-year-old’s contract with Partizan expired at the end of the year. He opted against signing a new deal in favor of pursuing greener pastures.

The attacking midfielder was seemingly bound to join the Rossoneri. However, the negotiations have stalled in recent days, opening up the door for the Bianconeri to pounce on the situation, explains Tuttosport.

As the source reveals, Juventus directors held a meeting with the player’s agent who attended the Coppa Italia fixture against Frosinone on Thursday.

The Turin-based giants reportedly have an ace up the sleeve in the shape of Martin Guastadisegno who is acting as an intermediary in the operation.

The latter is the agent of Juventus starlets Matias Soulé and Facundo Gonzalez (currently on loan at Frosinone and Sampdoria respectively), and shares an excellent rapport with the club’s management.

This could be the second coup in a row for the Old Lady on the Balkan scene, having reportedly secured the services of Vasilije Adzic, a 17-year-old Montenegrin talent.

However, the main obstacle for Juventus in the operation remains the limited number of non-EU spots. So they must decide whether to utilize it on Popovic or preserve it for another transfer.

The young Serbian had also been linked with Manchester City, but the report claims that no club has been able to satisfy the demands of the player’s agent who’s seeking robust commissions.