UEFA Champions League
Emiliano Dibu Martínez, a 33-year-old Argentine goalkeeper from Aston Villa, remains the priority for Juventus of Turin in this summer transfer market to strengthen their goalkeeping position. The deal is currently stalled because the English club is refusing to negotiate while the goalkeeper is under contract until June 2029.
The Italian club considers the initial asking price of €12 million from Aston Villa excessive and is also reluctant to agree to a gross salary close to €9 million per season. Juventus' current offer stands at around €6.5 million, creating a gap between the two sides.
Statements from Luciano Spalletti after the friendly against Basilea confirmed that the search for a new goalkeeper is still ongoing. The coach made it clear that he wants to increase competition in the goalkeeping position despite having Mattia Perin and Michele Di Gregorio, whose future is also uncertain.
Emiliano Dibu Martínez is confident in unlocking his departure from Aston Villa
Following Argentina's World Cup campaign, Martínez plans to hold a meeting with Aston Villa's sports management. The aim will be to determine whether the English club is willing to facilitate a departure this summer.
This won't be the first time the Argentine international has considered a change of destination. A year ago, he already contemplated leaving Birmingham for a new challenge, although he ultimately stayed with the team led by Unai Emery.
The stance of the Spanish coach remains one of the main obstacles. Emery considers Martínez an important player in the squad and does not want to lose one of the team's key players before the start of the new season.
Juventus of Turin seeks room to lower the operation cost
Juventus of Turin believes that the transfer fee can be reduced considering several factors. These include the goalkeeper's age, as he will turn 34 years old during the upcoming season, and a finger injury he has been dealing with since the end of the last campaign.
The goalkeeper opted to postpone surgery to compete in the World Cup with the Argentine national team, a decision that now requires monitoring his physical condition during preseason.
The Italian club also does not want to jeopardize its financial planning with an operation that exceeds the parameters set for this market. Consequently, club officials hope that the player himself will facilitate a negotiation between the parties after meeting with Aston Villa.
Meanwhile, Juventus of Turin continues to explore other options if the negotiation does not progress. However, Emiliano Dibu Martínez remains Spalletti's top choice, so the upcoming discussions between the goalkeeper and Aston Villa will determine the next step of an operation that is still ongoing.
This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, La Juventus sigue peleando por el Dibu Martínez
