Last week, Juventus finally managed to put Cristiano Giuntoli’s signature on paper. The 51-year-old eventually freed himself from his Napoli contract following exhausting negotiations with club president Aurelio De Laurentiis.
The Italian joined the Bianconeri, becoming the club’s Football director. While he’s known for his prowess in picking up the best talent on the market, the executive is also a master of offloading players for the right price.
This craft should come in handy for the Old Lady as Max Allegri’s squad is currently overpacked, especially in the middle of the park.
So according to La Gazzetta dello Sport via ilBianconero, Giuntoli will complete his first sale at Juventus this week. The new director should finalize an agreement with West Ham United for the transfer of Denis Zakaria.
The 26-year-old joined the Bianconeri in January 2022 following an impressive spell at Borussia Monchengladbach. However, he soon found himself surplus to requirements in Turin.
Last season, the Swiss spent a turbulent campaign at Chelsea where he failed to cement himself a starting berth under three different managers.
But despite last term’s disappointments, Zakaria could remain in London as the Hammers are closing in on a transfer.
West Ham won the Conference League last season, earning a Europa League spot in the process.
The reported fee could be somewhere between 18 and 20 million euros. This would allow the club to register capital gains on a player who arrived for almost half the fee.
