Search icon

Football

18th Jul 2018

There’s only one thing holding up Matteo Darmian’s move to Juventus

The Manchester United full-back is expected to return to Italy this summer

Darragh Murphy

Matteo Darmian’s move to Juventus is dependent on a departure from the Serie A club.

Darmian has been linked with a switch to the Old Lady this summer, having made just eight Premier League appearances for Manchester United last season.

Juventus are eager to add the full-back to their squad but, according to a Tuttomercatoweb report, the transfer is hinging on Alex Sandro’s expected departure.

While Sandro has been on United’s radar in recent months, it’s claimed that he is nearing a move to Paris Saint-Germain in the coming weeks.

Juventus will only finalise the Darmian deal if/when Sandro leaves the Turin club but it’s understood that the United defender has already discussed terms and is eager to return to Italy on a four-year deal.

Manager Jose Mourinho has previously insisted that Darmian is part of his plans for the future but, to be fair, he said the same about Daley Blind, who has just returned to boyhood club Ajax.

“When a player wants to go, if that’s the case, when the right offers arrive in the club we study that because we always try to have the players happy,” Mourinho said when asked about Blind and Darmian in May.

“If happiness means for them to leave let’s see what happens. But they are in my plans, I don’t want to sell, I want to keep.”

Mourinho has already signed Portuguese full-back Diogo Dalot earlier this summer and the United boss won’t stand in Darmian’s way once the money is right from Juve.