According to reports from Calcio Mercato, agent Simone Seghedoni has claimed Chelsea and Liverpool target Domenico Berardi has already agreed to move to Juventus next summer.
The Sassuolo forward is widely regarded as one of Italian football’s most exciting prospects, having already amassed 44 goals in 111 appearances at the tender age of 21 – including 33 strikes from his two-and-a-quarter campaigns in Serie A. He reached the 30-goal landmark quicker than four-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi, albeit starting his career in Serie B, and last season claimed the most assists, 10, of any player in the Italian top flight alongside 15 goals.
Juventus were quick to realise the Italy U21’s potential after firing Sassuolo to the top flight during his debut campaign and signed him on a co-ownership agreement in summer 2013. But Berardi continued his development at Mapei Stadium for the next two seasons and Sassuolo repurchased his full playing rights during the summer at a cost of €10million, with Simone Zaza moving the other way.
Now free from the complexities of the Italian transfer system, a number of clubs have been linked with the 6 foot 1 attacker, who performs best when deployed as a right-forward, over the last few months. Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp reportedly tracked Berardi at Borussia Dortmund and is keen to bring him to Anfield, whilst Chelsea, Manchester United and Barcelona were mooted as potential suitors at the end of October.
With Sassuolo managing director Giovanni Carnevali ruling out a January departure, the race for Berardi seemed set to take place next summer. But according to Calcio Mercato, there is already a ‘verbal agreement’ in place for the prodigious forward to return to Turin next season, with Juventus set to activate their much-rumoured buy-back option.
Berardi’s agent, Simone Seghedoni, told the Italian outlet; “Domenico won’t move to Juventus in January. Juventus have a verbal agreement with Sassuolo over a June move, but we’re not thinking about it at the moment, there’s a lot of time between now and the summer. I can categorically exclude any departure in the coming transfer window. He won’t move till June, according to a plan he’s already agreed with the club.”