Report: Juventus now prefer Giacomo Raspadori to replace Paulo Dybala

As we move closer and closer to Paulo Dybala’s final days as a Juventus player, just what direction in which the club might go in filling the void left by La Joya’s departure may also be coming into clearer focus.

That means, as you might expect, the transfer rumors will start to focus on one more two names that Juventus could end up signing.

We may already be reaching that point.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport’s splashy centerpiece story in Thursday morning’s edition, Juventus’ top choice to become the immediate replacement for Dybala is still very much young and Italian, but not somebody who currently plays in the Italian capital. The new name atop Juve’s list is Giacomo Raspadori, Sassuolo’s 22-year-old striker who has been one of Serie A’s brightest young talents the last couple of years. Raspadori has also been linked with Inter Milan in recent months, but has become a name linked to Juventus more and more in the weeks leading up to the news of Dybala not getting a new contract and in the couple of weeks following the decision to not extend the current No. 10 at Juventus.

It is believed that Sassuolo want €30 million for Raspadori this summer.

Roma’s Nicolo Zaniolo has also been one of the main names linked to Juventus when it comes to filling Dybala’s spot on the roster. La Gazzetta also reported Thursday that Zaniolo’s only option in Italy is to sign with Juve, but Roma’s asking price of upward of €60 million continues to be what keeps things relatively quiet on that front.

According to La Gazzetta, Juve will, as of right now, only go up to €40 million for a potential Zaniolo bid.

But with Raspadori, you have two clubs who clearly have a very good working relationship as well as a clear need from Juventus to get something done quickly before other clubs — mainly Inter — try to drive up the price and get a bidding war going. Raspadori fits the kind of profile you think Juventus wants to go for this summer — he’s young, he’s got a lot of room to grow as a player and he’s not going to command the kind of money in terms of a salary as somebody like Dybala.

Or, as Gazzetta dubbed it, Juve have a friend for Dusan Vlahovic in Raspadori.

Sassuolo CEO Giovanni Carnevali had this to say Thursday to La Gazzetta dello Sport regarding a potential deal:

“Raspadori to Juventus? It can be done, he’s ideal for the them to play behind the striker, I’m waiting for them.”

Well, let’s just say that somebody with Sassuolo being completely happy to do business with Juventus again is something you love to see — especially when it’s a talented young player like Raspadori is. Let’s just hope that there’s fewer meetings this time around as compared to when the two sides were in negotiations for Manuel Locatelli.