Juventus, Inter and others have been put on alert as Udinese stalwart Jaka Bijol reveals his intention to leave the club at the end of the season.
The 26-year-old is a Slovenian international who has been plying his trade in Friuli since making the move from CSKA Moscow in the summer of 2022.
The big centre-back swiftly cemented himself as an elemental player for the Zebrette, so he has been almost omnipresent in the lineup. This season, he made 31 appearances for Kosta Runjaic’s team across all competitions, scoring two goals and providing his teammates with as many assists.
Bijol was one of the profiles linked to Juventus in the winter when the club was looking to replace the injured Gleison Bremer. In the end, the deal never materialised, with the Bianconeri turning to Renato Veiga and Lloyd Kelly.
The Vuzenica native has also been on Inter’s radar for quite some time. The Italian champions reportedly consider him the potential heir to the ageing Francesco Acerbi. Even Napoli have been suggested as a potential destination for the coveted defender.
But while his next move remains shrouded in mystery, Bijol made it clear he intends to leave in the summer towards greener pastures.
“I’ve been here for three years, I know that in Italy there is a lot of talk about transfers,” said the Udinese defender in his post-match interview following his team’s 1-2 defeat to Inter at San Siro on Sunday (via JuventusNews24).
“In the past, I used to pay more attention to them, but now less so. I’m only thinking about playing well. I’m certain that in the summer something will arrive and I will be taking a step forward in my career.”
Hence, the Slovenian made it abundantly obvious he plans to join a bigger club in the summer, so it remains to be seen if Juventus will lunge forward or focus on other profiles.
