Turin Transfer Market: Juventus Delivers a Snub; Signing in Jeopardy

Juventus, in search of a backup for Guglielmo Vicario, is reported to have made an inquiry in recent hours about Lucas Perri, a Brazilian goalkeeper set to leave Leeds who has long been on Torino’s radar. The Bianconeri are set to part ways with both Michele Di Gregorio (to Bournemouth) and Mattia Perin (to Palermo), their two goalkeepers from last season, and after signing Vicario, they want to bring in another top-tier goalkeeper at a reasonable price.

Juventus has thus set its sights on Perri, making an inquiry with Leeds regarding a loan deal. The player holds an Italian passport and has been in agreement with Torino for weeks now; the club has reached an agreement with Leeds based on a loan with a fee of one million and a buyout clause set at 11 million euros.

In recent days, however, the deal had hit a sudden snag, and now rumors involving Juventus are complicating the situation even further. Torino currently has Diego Mascardi on its roster—who arrived from Spezia—and last season’s starting goalkeeper, Alberto Paleari, who, despite rumors of his departure, is still in Turin and remains a central figure in the Granata locker room.

The 33-year-old, born in 1992 and a product of the Milan youth academy, finds himself at a crossroads: stay on as the third-string goalkeeper should Perri arrive, or accept one of the offers from other clubs. Sampdoria has made concrete moves for him, acting more decisively than other clubs, while Lecce, Venezia, Cagliari, and Parma—all teams in search of an experienced goalkeeper—have also expressed interest. The feeling is that Paleari is tempted to leave, but any decision will inevitably depend on how the complicated Perri situation plays out.

Juventus has reportedly already considered other options for the backup goalkeeper role behind Vicario. Among the players being monitored is Santiago Beltran, one of the most promising Argentine goalkeepers currently with River Plate and considered the heir to Dibu Martinez in the Albiceleste goal; the Bianconeri have inquired about him despite the high asking price. Nor should the possibility of signing Christos Mandas be ruled out—a Greek goalkeeper born in 2001 who is owned by Lazio and highly regarded by the Bianconeri’s coaching staff—nor that of Vanja Milinkovic-Savic, a former Torino player currently with Napoli, where he does not appear to be part of Massimiliano Allegri’s plans.