Midfield target Denis Zakaria has reportedly agreed to join Juventus after the club tabled a bid for the Swiss international on Saturday morning.
Zakaria will not renew his contract with Borussia Monchenglach, which expires in the summer, and the German club are open to letting the midfielder leave this month for a small fee. The Bianconeri have long been interested in a move for the 25-year-old, and his arrival could set in motion the departure of either Arthur Melo or Rodrigo Bentancur.
While Arthur’s proposed move to Arsenal has stalled, Bentancur has attracted interest from Aston Villa, Lyon and Tottenham Hotspur. At this moment, the Uruguayan looks more likely to depart.
Juventus have an agreement with Denis Zakaria
Conferme totali sull’offensiva mattutina della #Juventus per #Zakaria: c’è già l’intesa con il giocatore. Ora è atteso il via libera del @borussia 🔥⚪️⚫️@GoalItalia
— Romeo Agresti (@romeoagresti) January 29, 2022
On Saturday morning, news broke of Juventus matching Gladbach’s €7m asking price for Zakaria after they re-opened talks with the player’s entourage.
According to Romeo Agresti, an agreement with the player has already been reached. The club are now working to close the deal with Gladbach mulling over Juve’s proposal, which is said to be a €5m upfront fee with €2m in add-ons.
Gianluca Di Marzio adds that Juve are confident of striking a deal with the German club before Monday’s deadline and believes his arrival will hasten Bentancur’s departure. More offers for the 25-year-old are expected on Saturday.
Juventus had also held an interest in versatile Cagliari midfielder Nahitan Nández, but the club have opted to pursue a move for Zakaria. While the Swiss international has struggled to reach the heights he hit before suffering a long-term knee injury in 2020, this is a low-risk move on the Bianconeri’s behalf with plenty of upside.