LMF^^
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Juve interest in Vieira deepens
PA Sport
Juventus is ready to pounce for French midfielder Patrick Vieira of Arsenal as the London club admitted it is prepared to listen to any offers made by the Italian giant.
The Gunners are reluctant to sell their captain, but they admit Vieira, a player coveted by Europe's biggest clubs in recent seasons, may finally leave Highbury.
"I gather they (Juventus) have made inquiries but we are very undecided as to whether we are going to talk to them or not," Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood told the Daily Star.
"Patrick is aware they have approached us and it all very much depends on what they offer and what he wants to do."
"In a situation like this, you have to listen to what they say and tell the player about it."
Juventus, the Italian champions, believe their squad is already strong enough to win a second straight Scudetto.
But Juve president Franzo Grande Stevens said: "I don't exclude that (general director Luciano) Moggi can do something else."
"Juve's transfer market is still open and there is still time to make some exchanges."
Juventus boss Fabio Capello, who coached Vieira at Milan, said at the club's presentation on Monday: "I don't exclude new arrivals if it will improve the squad."
"(But) We don't buy just for the sake of it."
Reporters pressed club vice-president Roberto Bettega about Vieira at Salice Terme, the venue for Juve's presentation, about the possibility of Juve executives travelling to London to meet with Arsenal.
"It's not in our programme to travel to London," answered Bettega, who then referred to last week's terrorist attacks in the UK capital.
"It's not the best place to be at this time, but returning to football, and in particular to the transfer market, it's not certain that what happens has to be necessarily English."
Juventus, who were knocked out of the Champions League last season by Liverpool but made amends by beating AC Milan to the Scudetto, have this off season acquired defenders Giorgio Chiellini and Robert Kovac, and midfielder Giuliano Giannichedda.
Vieira would bolster the squad even further.
Gazzetta dello Sport reported on Tuesday that Juve, who had an initial offer of seven million euros (A$11.3million) and Ghanaian midfielder Stephen Appiah turned down for Vieira, upped their bid on Monday despite's Bettega's early comments that no Juve representatives were travelling to London.
Moggi, who signed Adrian Mutu last northern summer when he was cut loose by Chelsea after failing a drugs test, will be the key man at Juve if they are to buy Vieira.
At the Juve presentation, Moggi said: "Of course, we remain concentrated on the market."
"In the improbable case that a chance comes along, perhaps it would be done with a player exchange."
"Of course, some players may evidently leave but our team is done, it's competitive in all fronts."
Hm.... although chancez appear to be slim, it certainly iz a time to worry fo Arsenal fanz.
PA Sport
Juventus is ready to pounce for French midfielder Patrick Vieira of Arsenal as the London club admitted it is prepared to listen to any offers made by the Italian giant.
The Gunners are reluctant to sell their captain, but they admit Vieira, a player coveted by Europe's biggest clubs in recent seasons, may finally leave Highbury.
"I gather they (Juventus) have made inquiries but we are very undecided as to whether we are going to talk to them or not," Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood told the Daily Star.
"Patrick is aware they have approached us and it all very much depends on what they offer and what he wants to do."
"In a situation like this, you have to listen to what they say and tell the player about it."
Juventus, the Italian champions, believe their squad is already strong enough to win a second straight Scudetto.
But Juve president Franzo Grande Stevens said: "I don't exclude that (general director Luciano) Moggi can do something else."
"Juve's transfer market is still open and there is still time to make some exchanges."
Juventus boss Fabio Capello, who coached Vieira at Milan, said at the club's presentation on Monday: "I don't exclude new arrivals if it will improve the squad."
"(But) We don't buy just for the sake of it."
Reporters pressed club vice-president Roberto Bettega about Vieira at Salice Terme, the venue for Juve's presentation, about the possibility of Juve executives travelling to London to meet with Arsenal.
"It's not in our programme to travel to London," answered Bettega, who then referred to last week's terrorist attacks in the UK capital.
"It's not the best place to be at this time, but returning to football, and in particular to the transfer market, it's not certain that what happens has to be necessarily English."
Juventus, who were knocked out of the Champions League last season by Liverpool but made amends by beating AC Milan to the Scudetto, have this off season acquired defenders Giorgio Chiellini and Robert Kovac, and midfielder Giuliano Giannichedda.
Vieira would bolster the squad even further.
Gazzetta dello Sport reported on Tuesday that Juve, who had an initial offer of seven million euros (A$11.3million) and Ghanaian midfielder Stephen Appiah turned down for Vieira, upped their bid on Monday despite's Bettega's early comments that no Juve representatives were travelling to London.
Moggi, who signed Adrian Mutu last northern summer when he was cut loose by Chelsea after failing a drugs test, will be the key man at Juve if they are to buy Vieira.
At the Juve presentation, Moggi said: "Of course, we remain concentrated on the market."
"In the improbable case that a chance comes along, perhaps it would be done with a player exchange."
"Of course, some players may evidently leave but our team is done, it's competitive in all fronts."
Hm.... although chancez appear to be slim, it certainly iz a time to worry fo Arsenal fanz.
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