/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/49702167/GettyImages-504320452.0.jpg)
As we deal with rumors and various media reports about potential Juventus players, it looks as though Beppe Marotta has given us a clue as to one who we know the club will be signing this summer. And not just a clue, but a direct confirmation that one of the country's biggest and brightest prospects will be joining the club in short order.
Yes, when it comes to Domenico Berardi's future, we essentially know what it entails now more than ever before. That's because Marotta, speaking to the press on Wednesday, has confirmed that the 21-year-old winger will be signed by the five-time Italian champions. Juventus have an option to buy Berardi back from Sassuolo, and that's exactly what they plan on doing.
"At the moment, though, we haven't done anything, I can't confirm or deny it. And the same goes for [Andre] Gomes and [Miralem] Pjanic.
"Berardi is a great talent, there's a verbal agreement with Sassuolo and Juventus have the moral right of first refusal and we're going to complete this deal.
"Morata? He's becoming a champion, we'll do everything possible to keep him in Turin. Real Madrid's buy-back clause is like the Sword of Damacles, but we'll meet with them after the Champions League final."
(Source: Football Italia)
That quote about Berardi is something that a lot of people have been waiting to hear for two years now. "Sign Berardi now!" they said as Juventus played the co-ownership and/or sold Berardi a little less than a year ago as Sassuolo took complete control of the player's contract. But the key to the deal, as we've known for months now, is that Juve had the first right of refusal when it came to signing Berardi in the summer of 2016. And guess what? As you can probably figure out, the summer of 2016 is basically upon us.
The best thing is that said summer will include Juventus signing Domenico Berardi outright. Like, seriously. Berardi will be a Juventus player and we shall have a party when it happens. The 'OFFICIALLY OFFICIAL' thread will be nothing but champagne gifs and people talking to each other in all caps. It will be wonderful.
The wait to see Berardi put on a Juventus jersey and parade around Juventus Stadium might have been a little longer than some anticipated or hoped for when he was a teenager running wild against Serie A opposition for the first time. But with the way Marotta is talking about the deal, it seems as though there's just some formalities to iron out and then the deal will be done. Sassuolo will get their cash — something around the €25 million figure most likely — and Juventus will get a player that will instantly improve the squad in more ways than one.
Those are the kinds of deals you like. And I like Domenico Berardi, so it's win-win for everybody.