Italian giants line up swap deal with Felipe Melo
-
Juventus join chase for Liverpool loaner Alberto Aquilani but Italian giants line up swap deal with Felipe Melo
Juventus are keen to sign Alberto Aquilani after Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson cleared the £20million flop to leave Anfield on a loan deal.
However, the Serie A giants could try to tempt the Reds with a permanent transfer, offering Brazil midfielder Felipe Melo in exchange.
Hodgson signed Denmark international Christian Poulsen from Juve as a ready-made replacement for wantaway Argentina captain Javier Mascherano.
In the stands: Alberto Aquilani (right) was left out of Liverpool's Europa League qualifying tie against Trabzonspor at Anfield on Thursday night
But the Italians believe there is still interest from Anfield in one-time Arsenal target Melo, according to Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport.
Hodgson left Aquilani out of Liverpool's 1-0 Europa League win against Trabzonspor on Wednesday night to stop him being cup-tied and admitted a return to Italy was on the cards.
Who wants me? Roy Hodgson has sanctioned a loan move away from Anfield for midfielder Aquilani
'We are considering possibly loaning him to an Italian club, but nothing is sure about that yet so I don't have anything definite to report,' said the boss after the play-off round first leg.
'I didn't want to use him (against Trabzonspor) just in case the loan goes through, because for Aquilani this year it's very important that he plays regular football, every week, as the No 1 man on the teamsheet.
'I can't promise him that here so if a loan move to Italy could help him in that respect it might be good for all parties.
'It would certainly be what he needs, it would certainly protect the value of the player and when he does return to Liverpool no doubt we will see the Aquilani that we signed before he came here injured last year.'
Aquilani was signed from Roma last summer as the replacement for Xabi Alonso, who left for Real Madrid, but the Italy midfielder never managed a regular run in the team because of injuries.
-
what a waste of time and money by rafa, buy an injury prone playe and seldom used him, whats the point. it was his choice of buying him for 20, that was probably his own downfall. he should have used 20m to buy diarra or someone fit to play.