Juventus are closing in on the signing of Sampdoria sensation Patrik Schick, according to a reliable journalist.
Sky Sports Italy correspondent Gianluca Di Marzio has claimed on his personal website that the Champions League runners-up have nearly sealed their first signing of the window after holding talks with the player and his agent.
This will come as a blow to Tottenham after Italian newspaper Il Secolo XIX, as quoted by FC Inter 1908, which provides content for sports newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, claimed recently that they had agreed the terms of a contract offer with Schick and his agent Pavel Paska.
Spurs were thought to be in pole position to activate what a separate Di Marzio report had claimed was the £21.5million release clause in the Czech striker’s contract and land him this summer.
Liverpool have also been linked with Schick, as have Borussia Dortmund and Atletico Madrid, but it appears that Juventus are now nailed on to sign the forward.
Schick, who is an authentic centre-forward, made a huge impact in Serie A in the recently completed season.
The three-times Czech international has caught the eye of Europe’s elite clubs after bagging 13 goals and providing three assists in 35 league and cup appearances for Sampdoria in 2016-17.
He has an outstanding goals-per-minutes ratio for the campaign, with his strikes coming every 113 minutes, an excellent return for such a demanding league.