Juve Unwilling To Participate In Milito Auction, Madrid Favourites
The Old Lady will make a 'take it or leave it' 20 million euro offer for Gabriel Milito today. Real Madrid are seemingly willing to offer a little more, and are thus favourites.
Real Madrid's interest in the Argentine international has scuppered Juve's cause, with Zaragoza president Agapito Iglesias doing his utmost to set up an auction that would land him close to the 25 million euros he was initially looking for.
The Spanish giants are themselves cautious about over-paying, but armed with a transfer budget more than double that of Juventus, could well turn it into a one horse race should they choose to.
The Bianconeri are keen to race on their own terms, though, and sporting director Alessio Secco will make a final offer when he meets Iglesias in Zaragoza today.
He will suggest 18 million euros up front, and an additional 2 should Juventus qualify for the Champions League at the end of next season.
Juve had recently offered 15 million euros plus Miccoli, but Zaragoza are keen on a straight cash deal, and 20m is the most Secco will offer.
Should Real Madrid land Milito instead, it is understood that with the likes of Metzelder and Sergio Ramos also in their ranks, they will allow Fabio Cannavaro to return to Italy, where both Napoli and Juventus are being mentioned as potential destinations.
Claudio Ranieri refused to mention names, but did discuss during an interview with the Gazzetta dello Sport, the kind of centre-half we was looking to land.
"A central defender needs to be a leader, someone who commands the area, has the tactical intelligence to point the way, and allow the other defenders to be aggressive," the new Juve coach said yesterday. A certain Azzurri skipper fits the bill.
Source: Goal.com