Black & White & Read All Over - Transfer Deadline Day 2016: Breaking news and live coverage"Alla Juventus vincere non è importante. È l'unica cosa che conta."https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47437/blackwhiteread-fave.png2016-09-03T12:16:09+02:00http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/rss/stream/124896212016-09-03T12:16:09+02:002016-09-03T12:16:09+02:00Witsel ‘disappointed’ his Juventus move didn’t happen
<figure>
<img alt="FC Zenit St Petersburg v FC Lokomotiv Moscow - Russian Premier League" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/KeNuIIDbmmtthLvhAdjY0dyeTBY=/0x317:1190x1110/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/50651705/584702298.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Epsilon/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p id="9snjJe">Two days after his proposed move to Juventus didn’t happen, we’ve finally heard word from Axel Witsel. Not that we expected to see him strolling out of Juventus’ headquarters in the minutes after the deal was nixed by Zenit St. Petersburg or anything like that. But, considering how things went down, it was going to be interesting to see what Witsel had to say about it all.</p>
<p id="0zPNDl"><a href="http://www.gazzetta.it/Calciomercato/02-09-2016/witsel-pizza-visite-caos-ecco-perche-si-perso-juve-1601029541669.shtml">In an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport</a>, Witsel did exactly that. The 27-year-old Belgian midfielder explained — or at least tried to — what happened on the final day of the transfer window. At the very least, Witsel wanted the move to happen as much as just about everybody else sitting around the telephone and fax machine late Wednesday.</p>
<p id="MOp6sw">(All quotes <a href="http://www.football-italia.net/90874/witsel-juventus-were-my-destiny">via Football Italia</a>)</p>
<blockquote><p id="WNHtsD">“At times football is like this. These things happen in life. Am I angry at the failed move? No, I’m disappointed. I had done the medical and at that point already felt like a Juventus player in every sense."</p></blockquote>
<p id="fzCrU3">Witsel, who was going to be part of an uber-afro-themed final day of the transfer window, told Tuttosport that he “already chosen shirt No. 28” — yet another clear sign that he figured there wasn’t going to be any kind of last-minute shenanigans.</p>
<blockquote id="mbHnf9">
<p>“It’s disappointing that Zenit made that decision, especially as turning down €25m can be damaging. I, however, can only thank Juventus, as they showed such class with me and did everything they could to sign me.</p>
<p>“It was a strange incident, but I learned Zenit’s decision much earlier than the transfer deadline. I then returned to Brussels, where I arrived at 3am just before the match against Spain.</p>
<p>“My destiny was with the Bianconeri, that’s how I felt. Now I mustn’t think about it anymore. I must remain concentrated, as I am a professional.</p>
<p>“Although with a contract that expires in June…”</p>
</blockquote>
<p id="TlUz9b">So, Axel, you’re saying there’s a chance...?</p>
<p id="uv6nOB">In the hours following Witsel’s move to Juventus falling through, <a href="http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2016/9/1/12740362/axel-witsel-zenit-st-petersburg-juventus-2016-serie-a-transfer-rumors">reports came across the interwebs</a> that a deal for the Belgian could be back on in January.</p>
<p id="A9zFMa">In regards to a January transfer to Juventus, what say you, Axel?</p>
<blockquote id="TVtKKN">
<p>“I don’t know, we’ll see what happens in January. For June… But I haven’t agreed terms with Juventus!” he laughed.</p>
<p>“We’ll see what happens. But my destiny was in that direction… The Bianconeri look like a truly strong team, you’ll see how well they do in the Champions League.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p id="sjxGlU">So what does all of this mean? Well, I highly doubt that Juventus are done trying to sign Witsel. Whether it’s for a cut-rate transfer fee in January or on a free for the summer of 2017, there’s going to be more rumors surrounding a potential move for Witsel. That just seems undeniable at this point.</p>
<p id="8KlQGH">We aren’t done with Witsel. Neither is the Italian press. It will be interesting to see what Beppe Marotta has to say about this the next time he does talk to the press.</p>
https://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2016/9/3/12781490/axel-witsel-disappointed-his-proposed-juventus-move-fell-through-2016-serie-a-transfersDanny Penza2016-09-01T18:43:00+02:002016-09-01T18:43:00+02:00Report: Juventus will try to sign Axel Witsel in January
<figure>
<img alt="Sweden v Belgium - Group E: UEFA Euro 2016" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/3ioR9oFVBhVM_ZjOCBdR5C7clR0=/0x134:1755x1304/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/50608917/542153598.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p id="KUHckL">Just because signing Axel Witsel eluded Juventus’ management in August doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s a certainty that the club is going to move on and dump whatever chance they had to acquire him into the river. That shouldn’t necessarily be any kind of surprise knowing that the dude was <a href="http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2016/8/31/12737074/axel-witsel-zenit-st-petersburg-juventus-2016-serie-a-summer-transfer-rumors">chilling at Juventus’ headquarters for 13 hours</a> as he waited for his deal with Zenit to happen. (Secret’s out: <a href="http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2016/8/31/12736360/axel-witsel-zenit-st-petersburg-juventus-2016-serie-a-summer-transfer-rumors">It didn’t happen</a>.)</p>
<p id="H8s3mU"><a href="http://gianlucadimarzio.com/en/eng/juventus-possible-attempt-for-witsel-in-january/">According to Sky Italia’s Gianluca Di Marzio</a>, just because Juve’s deal for Witsel in August isn’t going to prevent them from trying to sign the Belgian midfielder come the next transfer window. As is well known by now, Witsel’s contract with Zenit St. Petersburg is set to expire after the 2016-17 season, which will allow the 27-year-old to leave Russia on a free transfer. Juventus director general Beppe Marotta certainly does have an affinity for acquiring quality players for next to nothing, too.</p>
<p id="laT33N">Sounds like a match, right?</p>
<p id="2pq5z8">Whether it’s in a deal for January or a deal in January for the summer of 2017, Witsel is going to cost a fraction of what he would have during the recently-closed summer transfer window. Juventus’ offer was reportedly between €18 million and €20 million with a few extra million euros tacked on in easily-obtainable performance bonuses. Do you think Witsel is going to cost that much in January with only a couple months left on his contract? Nope, not at all.</p>
<p id="RXVDfA">Juventus has done something like this in the not-so-recent past. Remember when a deal for Fernando Llorente fell through in the summer and come January it was being announced that he was arriving on a free transfer? Yeah, the same kind of thing could very well take place with Witsel in about four months.</p>
<div id="QmP39n">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" align="center">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">The longer the wait, the bigger the reward. Life goes on. ✌</p>— Axel Witsel (@axelwitsel28) <a href="https://twitter.com/axelwitsel28/status/771364835821051904">September 1, 2016</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>
<p id="XHKa31">Oh, Axel. You’re gonna look like so much of a bargain when you arrive for free next summer. And it will be glorious. Yes, so, so glorious.</p>
https://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2016/9/1/12740362/axel-witsel-zenit-st-petersburg-juventus-2016-serie-a-transfer-rumorsDanny Penza2016-09-01T09:00:27+02:002016-09-01T09:00:27+02:00Lichtsteiner has something to say about transfer rumors
<figure>
<img alt="Juventus FC v UC Sampdoria - Serie A" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/JsSOsb5IAM6cZzORHxrXdy8pMgg=/0x109:2000x1442/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/50604567/531750686.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p id="sUalei">The nature of the final few days of every transfer rumors is just a magnification of what we’ve heard over the previous weeks. That means, when it comes to the rumors that we hear, a good portion of them turn out to be a whole bunch of crap.</p>
<p id="tvzCgm">One of those rumors involved Stephan Lichtsteiner and his future at Juventus. It involved Lichtsteiner, who is one of the core players to have won five straight Scudetti with the club, handing in a transfer request, agreeing to personal terms and trying to force a move to Inter Milan.</p>
<p id="VFgA4R">As the transfer deadline came and went, Lichtsteiner leaving turned out to be a load of crap. Therefore, Lichtsteiner, quite a favorite around these parts, has felt the need to settle some things on his own. That has resulted in a wonderfully-written, multi-lingual post on the Swiss national team captain’s various social media accounts.</p>
<div id="vqVA25">
<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-version="7" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50.0% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div>
</div> <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BJzagV-DudO/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Cari tifosi Contano di più i fatti o voci senza fondamenti? I fatti sono che io ho sempre dato tutto e continuerò sempre a dare tutto per difendere la mia maglia e la mia squadra. Io vivo e respiro ogni giorno per il successo della mia squadra. E vi dimostrerò che anche quest'anno sarà così...FinoAllaFine! Liebe Fans Ich glaube an Fakten statt Worte. Für mich zählt einzig und alleine die Wahrheit auf dem Spielfeld. Ich lebe jeden Tag, jedes Training und jedes Spiel nur für den Erfolg meiner Mannschaft. Ich atme für das Trikot, das ich trage. Das war nie anders und wird sich auch nie ändern! In diesem Sinne...FinoAllaFine! #finoallafine Dear Fans, I believe in facts rather than words. I live and breathe every game and every training session for the jersey that I wear and for the success of my team. That was never different and will never change! In this sense...FinoAllaFine!</a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A photo posted by Stephan Lichtsteiner (@stephanlichtsteiner) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2016-09-01T06:31:40+00:00">Aug 31, 2016 at 11:31pm PDT</time></p>
</div></blockquote>
<script async="" defer src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script>
</div>
<p id="RU8by5">STEPHAN LICHTSTEINER IS ON A CRUSADE TO GET THE FACTS STRAIGHT AND THERE IS NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT.</p>
<p id="WJZmVd">Okay, now that we’ve got that settled...</p>
<p id="3IpGRx">I think my favorite part of this — outside of the super-serious headshot, of course — is the fact that Lichtsteiner, in his own unique way, is giving the middle finger to every single rumor published over the last couple of days that said he wanted to leave Juventus for Inter or some other club. It’s like Lichtsteiner channeled his inner Stone Cold Steve Austin and pretend just about every transfer rumor source was Vince McMahon and then delivered a Stone Cold Stunner on them all. I’m pretty sure the “I live and breathe every game and every training session for the jersey that I wear and for the success of my team” sentence sums things up rather well considering the main team that he was linked to over the last 48 hours or so.</p>
<p id="bFIAN4">“Oh, you think I want to go to Inter? Well I’m straight up bianconero, so have a nice day.”</p>
<p id="gH8tUB">Fact is, Lichtsteiner didn’t leave like the Italian press wanted to have us believe was the case. Because of it, Lichtsteiner felt the need to say something. As a result, we’ve gotten this loud and proud statement from the player himself.</p>
<p id="j83roR">We’ll also get more of Lichtsteiner interviewing Sami Khedira and Mario Mandzukic after Juve’s next Scudetto celebration. That’s never going to be a bad thing.</p>
https://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2016/9/1/12746542/juventus-stephan-lichtsteiner-2016-serie-a-transfer-rumor-killerDanny Penza2016-08-31T23:46:47+02:002016-08-31T23:46:47+02:00Report: Witsel had undergone medical before deal fell through
<figure>
<img alt="Euro 2016 - Belgium Press Conference" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/8DT7XP0OV14fmS-CsrMW13s1yFo=/0x0:5184x3456/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/50597869/542979560.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Handout/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Of course he did. What a wonderful end to the transfer window. Thanks, Zenit!</p> <p id="TdjSlI">The transfer deadline came and went and Axel Witsel is still a player who is employed by Zenit St. Petersburg. About 24 hours ago, that’s something that didn’t look possible at all. That’s mainly because it was told to us that a deal between Juventus and Zenit looked like a forgone conclusion.</p>
<div id="h1pSqH">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" align="center">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Axel Witsel to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Juventus?src=hash">#Juventus</a>! €18M€ + add ons to Zenit, tomorrow he'll have medicals in Italy. Agreement reached. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/transfers?src=hash">#transfers</a></p>— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) <a href="https://twitter.com/FabrizioRomano/status/770728650949988352">August 30, 2016</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>
<p id="trqmdk">Nope, not happening now. But what we do get out of it is details about the deal that happened before things fell through and Juve were left “furious” because of Zenit’s firm stance in the ground and Juventus’ inability to close the deal in the final hours and minutes of the transfer window being open.</p>
<div id="w4uGuI">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" align="center">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Zenit have stopped Witsel deal when medicals and contract were done! Juventus now furious with Zenit <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/deadlineday?src=hash">#deadlineday</a></p>— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) <a href="https://twitter.com/FabrizioRomano/status/771091809837678596">August 31, 2016</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>
<p id="9F64m5">Imagine you’re Witsel for a second. You’ve left Belgium’s training camp to conclude a deal you feel pretty safe is going down. You then undergo your medicals — another sign that a deal is probably going to happen. You’re sitting around Juventus’ headquarters for hours and hours and hours waiting for something good to happen and for the green light to go on so that you can quickly sign your new contract and be done with it. And then nothing happens. </p>
<p id="cFUaQY">Juventus’ midfield will be fine without Witsel. It won’t be as good as if Witsel was signed, obviously, but it’s not like only adding Miralem Pjanic this summer is a problem. There’s a lot of more ‘ifs’ to the equation now — Sami Khedira’s health, Kwadwo Asamoah’s health, Claudio Marchisio’s return from injury, Mario Lemina’s development — but things aren’t as doom and gloom as they may seem after Juventus couldn’t close a deal for a midfielder they have been chasing for most of the summer.</p>
<p id="ERp15K">But hey, Zenit will lose Witsel for free in January or next summer. It might be to Juventus, too. So, while they were being stingy now and Juventus couldn’t close that deal, we could be talking about Witsel being Marotta’s latest Bosman signing in four months or so.</p>
https://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2016/8/31/12737074/axel-witsel-zenit-st-petersburg-juventus-2016-serie-a-summer-transfer-rumorsDanny Penza2016-08-31T22:46:34+02:002016-08-31T22:46:34+02:00Reports: Juventus’ deal for Axel Witsel falls through
<figure>
<img alt="FC Zenit St Petersburg v FC Lokomotiv Moscow - Russian Premier League" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/GTPp6wrqS-uw8WJrI1hrvCPwKXw=/0x197:2642x1958/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/50597137/584702294.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Epsilon/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p id="PFTRMl">Waiting until the final days of the mercato has its risks. Juventus, once again, seem to have found that out the hard way.</p>
<p id="nP7n55">According to reports out of Italy, Juventus’ chase to sign Zenit St. Petersburg midfielder Axel Witsel isn’t going to happen. What looked like a done deal 24 hours before the final of the transfer window arrived now is not going to be completed with just a few short minutes to go.</p>
<p id="Lay7e0">As of this post going live, La Gazzetta dello Sport gave Juventus a one percent chance of signing Witsel. (Don’t you dare pull out your Harry Dunne/Dumb & Dumber references now, people.)</p>
<p id="GxYFq1">Regarding who you read, there seems to be two major factors as to why Witsel won’t be playing his football in Turin in a couple of weeks:</p>
<ul id="Dc5PsJ">
<li>Zenit manager Mircea Lucescu didn’t want Witsel to leave.</li>
<li id="3J6hPH">Zenit’s front office wasn’t able to find a replacement for Witsel in time, thus blowing up any kind of chances Juventus had to sign him.</li>
</ul>
<p id="f81KAu">I guess the quest to sign a Paul Pogba replacement has fallen into the same category as Beppe Marotta’s quest for the next great trequartista. Oh well.</p>
<p id="5jNtrV">But if Beppe is to get heat for this, he deserves it. Juventus had time to get this deal done. Or, any deal for a player to replace Pogba, for that matter. This is the danger that you play with when trying to finish major transfer deals on the final day of the window when the time is quickly disappearing into the night.</p>
<p id="fRw3gJ">Hey, maybe Witsel is showing up for free next summer. We don’t know that for sure right now. But with the transfer window now shut until January, he sure as hell won’t be a Juventus player come Sept. 1.</p>
https://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2016/8/31/12736360/axel-witsel-zenit-st-petersburg-juventus-2016-serie-a-summer-transfer-rumorsDanny Penza2016-08-31T19:33:50+02:002016-08-31T19:33:50+02:00OFFICIAL: Juventus sign Juan Cuadrado on loan
<figure>
<img alt="AC Milan v Juventus FC - TIM Cup Final" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/RXicLIm-ys12yLNSAYDk-jn-NLg=/311x354:2194x1609/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/50593169/533287610.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p id="ZQFJzs">There were days where a return to Italy for Juan Cuadrado didn’t seem to involve a black and white theme. There were days where Cuadrado’s potential return to Italy involved the city of Milan, not Turin.</p>
<p id="rWWaN4">Turns out, Cuadrado is going to be playing his ball in the same location he was at the end of last August.</p>
<p id="fcalPy">Juventus has announced that Cuadrado has signed a loan deal with the defending Italian champions for the second consecutive summer. The initial loan fee to bring Cuadrado back to Turin for another go at the Scudetto is just like we heard from the Italian press over the last 24 hours or so — €5 million. What is different, though, is how the loan deal is constructed, with Cuadrado arriving on a three-year loan deal that keeps him in Turin through the 2018-19 season.</p>
<p id="rPKtaQ">The complete details, <a href="http://www.juventus.com/en/news/news/2016/-cuadrado-returns-to-juventus-.php">courtesy of Juventus’ official website</a>:</p>
<blockquote id="x3uE0E">
<p>Juventus Football Club can today confirm that an agreement has been reached with Chelsea for the loan of Juan Guillermo Cuadrado Bello until 30 June 2019, for an annual consideration of €5 million.</p>
<p>Juventus has the right to acquire the player on a permanent basis, or will be obliged to upon the achievement of agreed team results during the loan period, for a fee of €25 million, payable in three financial years, minus the loan fees already paid.</p>
<p id="tz6bRf">Should Juventus achieve certain sporting results during the player’s contract of employment, the club will owe Chelsea an additional €4 million in contingent payments. </p>
</blockquote>
<p id="bz5Cag">Cuadrado, who made his name in Italy, returns to a Juventus club that looks much different than the last time he was wearing the team’s jersey. We know what kind of role he had last season considering who Juve had on their roster. Where, exactly, he fits into this puzzle now, well, we’re about to find out. But, considering Juventus’ continued pursuit of him despite the options that are on the roster, it has to mean something.</p>
<p id="YRfOl5">Cuadrado will give Max Allegri another weapon on a team that is now stacked with them. And if he is able to come close to replicating his early-season form from the 2015-16 campaign, then Juve are going to make this deal look pretty good on their part.</p>
<p id="Q6UF1O">In that case, it’s time to welcome (back) Juan Cuadrado. May your wonderful afro and lightning-quick speed help Juventus go above and beyond what they achieved during your first season in Turin. That sure would be nice to see, I tell ya.</p>
https://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2016/8/31/12723476/officially-official-juventus-re-sign-juan-cuadrado-on-loan-2016-serie-a-transfersDanny Penza2016-08-31T10:44:41+02:002016-08-31T10:44:41+02:00Report: Inter wanted to sign Lichtsteiner, Juventus wasn’t having it
<figure>
<img alt="FC Juventus v Espanyol: Pre-Season Friendly" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/kHXhlp0sCWZ0YpuBZJpTL48z6R0=/0x0:2001x1334/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/50587591/596112268.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Maybe it was four seconds. We may never know the true timetable.</p> <p id="7rlNCX">With Dani Alves starting Juventus’ first two Serie A games and Juan Cuadrado destined to arrive in Turin for a second loan stint in as many seasons, there has been a lot of talk about what it means for Stephan Lichtsteiner. And fitting with this time of year, there were rumors about Lichtsteiner actually staying in Turin beyond the Aug. 31 deadline.</p>
<p id="vtGCj3"><a href="http://www.gazzetta.it/Calciomercato/30-08-2016/lichtsteiner-inter-juve-si-oppone-mai-loro-160990929934.shtml">According to La Gazzetta dello Sport</a>, Inter tried to capitalize on the opportunity that Lichtsteiner wanted out of his Juventus contract that currently has a season left on it, going as far as to say that he had agreed to terms with one half of Serie A’s Milan duo. However, in response to Inter’s approach to sign the 32-year-old Swiss captain, Juventus basically had something the lines of “Thanks, but no thanks!” in reply.</p>
<p id="tWppze">So, as it stands right now on the final day of the summer transfer window, Lichtsteiner is still a Juventus player and Inter are left wondering what the heck to do — again.</p>
<p id="6v4C7B">This wasn’t the first time Lichtsteiner had been linked with a move away from Turin. There’s been talk about Lichtsteiner — who has been with Juventus for all five seasons of the current five-year title-winning run — joining forces with former manager Antonio Conte at Chelsea. There were rumors of him potentially going to the Bundesliga and joining Borussia Dortmund.</p>
<p id="CPyh2A">Basically, Lichtsteiner exit rumors aren’t some newfound phenomenon, but also something that hasn’t resulted in much of anything up until the final day of August.</p>
<p id="J06jAR">So, as we sit here on Aug. 31 and at the start of an international break, we know that Lichtsteiner is still a Juventus player and probably not leaving. At least, Juventus don’t want him to leave. That seems like a pretty safe assumption at this point. I know I want him to, and you probably do, too.</p>
https://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2016/8/31/12725648/stephan-lichtsteiner-juventus-inter-milan-2016-serie-a-transfer-rumorsDanny Penza2016-08-31T04:52:34+02:002016-08-31T04:52:34+02:00Report: Juventus, Zenit agree to €18 million Axel Witsel deal
<figure>
<img alt="FC Zenit St Petersburg v FC Lokomotiv Moscow - Russian Premier League" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/PvS-VgLVKLhkq97tJiVyDbTVkCs=/14x280:1669x1383/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/50585815/584702288.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Epsilon/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p id="dTPVLC">At long last, it looks as though Juventus has the central midfielder it’s been looking to sign ever since the “BLAH BLAH BLAH” regarding Paul Pogba turned out to be true.</p>
<p id="qhm3Oy">The off-again, on-again deal involving Zenit St. Petersburg midfielder Axel Witsel and his magnificent afro is, now, definitely a go. Multiple media outlets in Italy are reporting that Juventus and the Russian club have reached a deal worth €18 million plus €3 million in potential performance-based bonuses, thus ending the late-summer search for a Pogba replacement.</p>
<p id="BO6bL0">Just two weeks after Witsel himself said he wasn’t leaving Zenit this summer, now he’s heading to Serie A and Turin specifically.</p>
<div id="VzEmUZ">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" align="center">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Juventus have closed the deal for Witsel at €18m + bonus. He will undergo medical tests tomorrow, according to Sky.</p>— Khaledalnouss (@khaledalnouss1) <a href="https://twitter.com/khaledalnouss1/status/770728896157351936">August 30, 2016</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>
<p id="jiEwZG">Once Witsel takes his medical on Wednesday, the final day of the summer transfer window, it will complete an eight-person group of players brought in by Juventus directors Beppe Marotta and Fabio Paratici. It has been reported that Witsel turned down an offer Everton in anticipation of a deal with Juventus getting done. (Say what you want about Everton, but that’s something we’ve seen from the likes of Milos Krasic and others in the past.)</p>
<p id="1oLiWt">Witsel, alongside Sami Khedira and fellow new signing Miralem Pjanic, will only add to Juve’s depth in the midfield. Then factor in who will be on Juve’s bench and that Claudio Marchisio is going to be back from injury in a month or two and the options in the center of the park are extremely plentiful. Not a bad job by Mr. Marotta, huh?</p>
<p id="9PShzO">And thus concludes Juventus’ summer mercato. Goodnight, everybody!</p>
https://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2016/8/31/12720990/axel-witsel-juventus-zenit-st-petersburg-2016-serie-a-summer-transfer-rumorsDanny Penza