Juve Eye Up Santacroce

Juve Eye Up Santacroce

According to Tuttosport, Juventus are lining up a bid for Napoli sensation Fabiano Santacroce.

The Bianconeri have already confirmed that Giorgio Chiellini, Nicola Legrottaglie and new signing Olof Mellberg will be three of their centre backs for next season, and they are now looking to snap up one more before the transfer market closes at the end of August.

The primary target had been Lazio’s Guglielmo Stendardo, who spent the second half of last campaign on-loan in Turin, however it seems that the Biancocelesti’s asking price will make this deal impossible.

Other players who have been strongly linked with a move include Sampdoria’s Hugo Campagnaro and Barcelona’s Rafael Marquez.

This morning a new name has now entered the frame in the form of Napoli starlet Fabiano Santacroce. The 21-year-old only joined the Partenopei in January for €5.5m from Brescia, however he has been an absolute sensation with a series of stunning displays at the back against the likes of Juventus and Inter.

Santacroce has been labelled by many as the “new Alessandro Nesta”, and all the early evidence seems to suggest that he is a star of the future. Partenopei President Aurelio De Laurentiis has predicted that the 21-year-old will be in the Italy starting XI for the 2010 World Cup.

Tuttosport says it is possible that a bid of €8m may be enough to prize Santacroce away from Napoli, although it remains to be seen if the Azzurri would be willing to let go of possibly the best young defensive prospect in Italy.

Gianni Wilson.Goal.com