Juventus has been in talks with Sassuolo over signing Manuel Locatelli before this transfer window closes.

The Bianconeri remains his preferred choice and that seems to have given them leverage to negotiate a good deal for themselves.

The Green and Blacks also know they have a top player on their hands having watched him shine for Italy at Euro 2020, which they won.

Sassuolo has fielded enquiries from other clubs, including Arsenal, but the midfielder insists on joining only Juventus.

Both clubs are still struggling to reach an agreement, but Massimiliano Allegri’s mentor, Giovanni Galeone, is confident they will complete the transfer and says it would be the perfect welcome gift from the club to the manager.

He says Juve would stroll to the league title if they can have a midfield three of Locatelli, Jorginho and Adrien Rabiot.

He then said he thinks Locatelli would become a Juve player before this transfer window closes and hailed the young midfielder for his development after breaking through at AC Milan.

He told Tuttosport as quoted by Tuttomercatoweb: “With Locatelli, Jorginho and Rabiot in the middle he would win the Scudetto with a cigarette in his mouth”

On Locatelli, he added: “It would be a nice gift and I think Juve will take him. At Milan it seemed to me they had exalted him too much, but in Sassuolo he made enormous improvements and can do more: but he is already at an excellent level. Allegri because they know how to fit in”