Juve chief rules out Alonso swoop

July 2, 2009

ROME (AFP) – Juventus president Giovanni Cobolli Gigli on Wednesday denied rumours his club are interested in signing Liverpool’s Spanish midfielder Xabi Alonso.

The 27-year-old is a reported target for Real Madrid and is rumoured to be unsettled at the Merseysiders following their long pursuit of Gareth Barry last summer as a potential replacement for the Spaniard.

But Cobolli told reporters outside a hospital in Turin that contrary to press reports, Alonso was not on his radar.

“We’re looking at several names in central midfield but Xabi Alonso is not one of those,” he said.

“I found out about our interest in the Spaniard from the press. He’s a great player but given that I read about his name in the papers should tell you everything.”

Cobolli also dismissed speculation linking the Italian giants to Napoli’s Slovak midfielder Marek Hamsik but admitted he is interested in Udinese’s Gaetano D’Agostino.

“The deal has cooled off. Udinese are a serious club with capable managers who are able negotiators,” he added.

“It’s about trying to find a solution between our valuation of the player and theirs.”

However, the Juve chief also admitted that his club would have to sell to finance their purchases this close season.

“We’re not being blocked by players who don’t want to leave but we do have to sell before we can buy,” he added.

“(Denmark international Christian) Poulsen is one player we’ve put up for sale and theoretically so too is (Frenchman David) Trezeguet but the probability of finding a suitable club for him and getting a price that fits his standing is much smaller.”

Cobolli said he hoped former player Pavel Nedved, who retired at the end of last season, would join the club’s backroom staff.

Meanwhile, Juve said on their website that young Italian forward Sebastian Giovinco had Wednesday morning successfully undergone an operation on his nose aimed at improving his breathing.

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