Brighton have reportedly prevailed in the race to sign Hellas Verona defender Diego Coppola who has also been linked with a move to Juventus.
The 21-year-old is a youth product of the Gialloblu who gradually cemented himself as a stalwart at the back for the club, subsequently earning a call-up for the senior Italian national team.
Coppola didn’t cover himself in glory on his international debut, as the Azzurri suffered an agonising defeat in Norway which spelt the end of Luciano Spalletti’s troubled tenure.
Brighton win the race for Diego Coppola
While the manager is now set to take charge in his last game with Italy on Monday night against Moldova, the young Coppola will certainly earn other opportunities to redeem himself.
Moreover, the centre-back is set to leave Verona and join Brighton who managed to reach the finish line in the battle for the player’s signature, reports Sky Sport Italia via JuventusNews24.
Hence, Coppola will have the opportunity to prove his worth in the Premier League next season, at least barring any late twists.
This will be a blow for Juventus who had pinpointed the Verona youth product as a potential defensive reinforcement.
Who could Juventus buy instead of Coppola?
The new Bianconeri management is aiming to build a squad around a young and competent Italian contingent, so Coppola was considered a suitable profile for the role.
With their hopes to sign the new Azzurri international fading, Juventus might turn to alternative profiles who can cover the same role, particularly Parma’s Giovanni Leoni and Fiorentina’s Pietro Comuzzo.
It should be noted that the Bianconeri have lost the services of Renato Veiga after failing to strike an agreement with Chelsea over an extended loan, but at least they’ll be able to reinstate Daniele Rugani for the FIFA Club World Cup following his return from a loan stint at Ajax.
