Pep Guardiola botherers Feyenoord and Manchester United’s Europa League opponents Bodo/Glimt are not the only clubs who sent a flight to England’s north west this week.
Because, while Feyenoord’s fightback from 3-0 down at the Etihad Stadium left Guardiola wishing he had some hair left to rip out and while Ruben Amorim prepares to make his Old Trafford bow against Norwegian opponents, reports from the continent are claiming that a powerful figure at one of Europe’s biggest clubs is also spending some time in Manchester.
Cristiano Giuntoli, Juventus’ technical director, made the trip up north as Thiago Motta’s team were playing out a 0-0 draw with Aston Villa on Wednesday night.
And while this will only add fuel to the speculation suggesting the goal-shy Joshua Zirkzee could leave Man United for Juventus, it appears that Giuntoli was keen to hold discussions with the Red Devils with another topic in mind.
According to Gazzetta dello Sport, both Manchester United and Manchester City have been approached regarding a potential deal for Juventus’ midfield duo Douglas Luiz and Nicolo Fagioli.
Manchester United offered Juventus duo Douglas Luiz and Nicolo Fagioli
Douglas Luiz will be a familiar name to Man United supporters.
The Brazil international spent five years at Aston Villa before his £42 million switch to Turin over the summer, after all. Luiz also began his English football career down the road at Man City, joining at a time in which Jason Wilcox and Omar Berrada were both working at the Etihad.
And while he is not exactly a popular figure amongst the Man United fanbase – Luiz caused some controversy after scoring for Aston Villa against Erik ten Hag’s team in February – the requirement for further midfield options at Old Trafford could see the Red Devils put those differences to one side.
Luiz, after all, blossomed into one of the most complete midfielders in the Premier League under Unai Emery.
While starting out as a deep-lying ball-winner, Luiz then developed into a more attack-minded operator. A genuine set-piece specialist with a habit of scoring directly from crosses, Luiz also netted a career-best 10 goals in his final season in Birmingham.
Gazzetta dello Sport claim that Juventus may be willing to cut their losses after an injury-hit half-season in Italy, however. The Old Lady need to free up funds in order to bring in a striker and a defender in January. Juventus lost both Juan Cabal and Gleison Bremer to ACL ruptures recently.
Fagioli, meanwhile, was a becoming a breakout talent at Juventus before a seven-month ban for breaching betting regulations.
With Teun Koopmeiners, Khephren Thuram and Manuel Locatelli establishing themselves as Motta’s first-choice midfield trio, however, Fagioli has now started only one of Juventus’ last seven Serie A matches.
Yet, with Christian Eriksen expected to leave Man United in 2025 and Casemiro also likely to depart, the Fagioli option is one that the Red Devils may be tempted to take up.
Nicolo Fagioli has been labelled ‘the new Andrea Pirlo’
“Fagioli reads the game well,” Arsenal veteran Jorginho tells Rai Sport of the 23-year-old, capped seven times by Italy and boasting a passing accuracy which tends to average around the 90 per cent mark.
“He has technical quality and he reads the plays well.”
Fagioli has even been tipped to become the second coming of Juventus icon Andrea Pirlo. By the name himself, no less.
“The biggest leap was made by Fagioli, who made his debut with me,” former Bianconeri boss Pirlo told Gazzetta dello Sport in March of last year. “He knows how to do everything, is a cornerstone of Juve, and has the qualities to excel in directing play.
“He could be the new Pirlo, but [will be] better remembered as Fagioli.”
The report adds that Juventus may be willing to let Fagioli go for as little as £17 million.
A swap deal involving Zirkzee is something the Serie A challengers may consider – he won the division’s Young Player of the Year award alongside Motta at Bologna, after all – but a straight sale would obviously be much less complicated operation.
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