Football General Manager
- Juventus closing in on Conceicao
- View Sancho as an alternative target
- Winger ready to take a pay cut to join Juve
According to Sky Italy the Italians are in advanced talks with Porto to sign Conceicao, and all parties are moving positively towards finalising the deal. Moreover, Ben Jacobs claimed that although Everton are ready to activate Conceicao’s €30 million (£26m/$35m) the player is not keen on a move to Merseyside and “only wants Juventus.”
However, conflicting reports have emerged from Italy suggesting that Juventus may not be forced to choose between the two. According to Football Italia, while Conceicao is closer to a deal, the club is still monitoring Sancho’s situation at United and could move for both players, depending on outgoing transfers and financial flexibility. Nico Gonzalez is expected to receive a substantial offer from the Saudi Pro League, which would free up both space in the squad and funds on the wage bill. And with his departure on the cards, Juventus would have more flexibility to accommodate another high-profile arrival, with Sancho fitting the bill. To further bolster their spending power, Juventus are also engaged in discussions with Sporting CP over the possible sale of midfielder Alberto Costa. The transfer could bring in additional funds to fuel Juventus’ recruitment drive, particularly in their pursuit of Sancho.
Sancho’s situation at Old Trafford has reached a tense standstill. The winger, who joined Manchester United in 2021 for £74m ($99m) from Borussia Dortmund, has one year left on his contract. He is reportedly demanding a severance package worth at least €5m (£4m/$6m) to terminate the deal early and enable a move elsewhere. However, Sancho is said to be open to a significant salary reduction in order to facilitate the transfer. Reports suggest he is ready to lower his annual income to around £7m ($9m), approximately £180,000-per-week, a drop of over £120,0000-per-week. Juventus, for their part, have tabled an offer of £5m plus performance-based bonuses, totalling just over £130,000 per week. While the gap is closing, it remains to be seen whether both parties can reach an agreement that satisfies all financial considerations.
In terms of transfer fee, Juventus have reportedly proposed an initial payment of €25m (£21m/$29m) with further bonuses, which falls short of United’s valuation. The Premier League side is nearing the financial ceiling of their summer transfer budget, having spent heavily on the acquisition of Matheus Cunha and with Bryan Mbeumo expected to follow. Offloading Sancho could provide much-needed relief to pursue further additions.