Transfer round-up: Mertens eyes move to Napoli
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ByEurosport
Updated 17/06/2013 at 21:57 GMT
A round-up of the day's Italian transfer gossip, as Dries Mertens eyes a move to Napoli.
Belgium's Dries Mertens celebrates after scoring against Slovakia during their international friendly match at Jan Breydel stadium in Bruges February 6, 2013. (Reuters)
Image credit: Reuters
The agent of Dries Mertens has confirmed Napoli as a possible destination for the PSV Eindhoven player.
The winger has been strongly linked with the Azzurri and a switch may be on the horizon for the 26-year-old.
“Napoli would be an excellent experience for him,” representative Soren Lerby is quoted as saying by Nieuwsblad.
“It would be a new country for him, a new experience and he will also be able to play in the Champions League.”
The winger, a Belgium international, will reportedly cost €9.5m. PSV signed him in June 2011 after impressing during a two-year spell with Utrecht.
The Stadio San Paolo outfit finished the 2012-13 campaign in second place in Serie A.
Newly promoted Sassuolo have confirmed Juventus are interested in signing young forward Domenico Berardi.
“Juventus are the side who are closest to him right now,” Sassuolo sporting director Nereo Bonato told Tuttosport.
“However, at this moment in time, they are working on other transfer matters. We’ll see where we are at the start of July.”
Berardi, who will celebrate his 19th birthday on August 1, will reportedly be signed by the Old Lady but allowed to remain with his current club.
“It would do Domenico well to stay at Sassuolo for another season,” Bonato added. “However, he certainly has important qualities and a future with a top outfit.”
Emanuele Giaccherini is in no rush to discuss a new contract with Italian champions Juventus.
“His future will definitely be in Turin,” agent Furio Valcareggi told calciomercato.it. “There has never been even a half problem with Juventus and there is no reason for him to leave.
“We haven’t discussed a renewal yet, but that is also because there is no urgency to seeing as he still has two years left on his contract.
“Boss Antonio Conte is satisfied with him and the boy is very happy in Bianconero. He has won two Scudetti in two seasons, collecting more than 20 appearances in the last campaign.
“We have to be happy with that.”
The 28-year-old, who started in Italy’s 2-1 win over Mexico on Sunday, joined the Turin giants from Cesena in 2011.
Italian Under-21 international Francesco Bardi has urged Inter to find him a Serie A club for the 2013-14 campaign.
The goalkeeper, currently preparing for Tuesday’s U-21 European Championship Final against Spain, has spent the last two seasons out on loan at Livorno and then Novara.
“Nobody from Inter has called me,” the 21-year-old told the Gazzetta dello Sport on Monday.
“I think that they would like to send me to gain experience at another club and I would prefer that solution.
“If that team is in Serie A then that would be better.”
Despite the Azzurrini’s success in Israel this month, a number of the squad are playing their football in Serie B.
“There needs to be a change of mentality in Italy,” Bardi added. “Us Under-21 boys can have our say in the Italian top flight.”
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