Juventus are reportedly pondering a move for Cesena defender Nicolo Bertola who has been one of the most impressive young players in Serie B this term.
The Bianconeri are currently seeking January reinforcement to fill the gaps in the back caused by the ACL injuries of Gleison Bremer and Juan Cabal plus the imminent departure of club captain Danilo. Renato Veiga is expected to complete his transfer from Chelsea in the coming hours. However, the Chelsea youngster will only sign on a dry loan, so his future might not lie at the Allianz Stadium.
So while the Portuguese could be a stopgap solution until the end of the season, the Serie A giants will be looking for permanent solutions in the summer, and one of them could be Bertola.
The Carrara native is a youth product of Cesena who has now established himself as a stalwart at the back for the Aquilotti who are pushing hard for a Serie A promotion at the end of the season. The 21-year-old is a physically imposing centre-back who also has an eye for goal as evidenced by his three strikes and two assists in 19 Serie B appearances this term.
The Ligurians have been desperate to put Bertola’s signature on a new contract, but thus far to no avail. So according to Il Secolo XIX via JuventusNews24, the Bianconeri will be looking to poach his services on a free transfer in June, perhaps encouraged by Federico Gatti’s exploits. The former Frosinone man also joined the Serie A giants directly from a Serie B club.
However, the source reveals that the player’s salary remains the biggest hurdle. Bertola and his entourage are aiming for a yearly net salary of 800,000 euros, a figure that the Juventus management considers excessive for a Serie A newcomer.
It is also worth mentioning that Inter have been keeping close tabs on the young defender for months, which could set the stage for a tug-of-war between the two Derby d’Italia rivals.
