According to reports from The Express this morning, Juventus have held ‘secret talks’ with Inter Milan midfielder Mateo Kovacic; a known target of Premier League duo Arsenal and Liverpool.
The 21 year-old has just come to the end of an impressive season at the San Siro, bagging five goals and three assists in 35 Serie A appearances.
That’s lead to plenty of speculation regarding the prodigious Croatian international’s future with Nerazzurri. Alongside long-term interest from Arsenal and Liverpool – according to The Express – he was also linked with a move to Barcelona in April.
The Anfield outfit’s interest has been particularly well-documented, with Brendan Rodgers allegedly viewing Kovacic as a long-term successor to MLS-bound skipper Steven Gerrard. Earlier this month, The Metro claimed Liverpool had launched a £15.2million bid.
But according to The Express, who cite Italian newspaper TuttoSport, Juventus have been holding ‘secret meetings’ with the playmaking midfielder for some time – likely related to the almost-confirmed departure of iconic Italian international Andrea Pirlo.
They claim club representatives have traveled to Milan, hoping to thrash out a £21million deal.