Torino will make a last-minute swoop to sign Celtic defender Josip Juranovic despite the fullback reportedly agreeing a move to join rival Serie A side Monza.
According to the Daily Record, the Turin-based club have suddenly reignited their interest in Juranovic in the past few days following an injury to first-choice right-back Valentino Lazaro, who is expected to be out of action for at least two months.
As a result, Torino are now keen on signing Juranovic having already been linked with the Celtic star this window. However, as per the report, Monza have since made significant groundwork in signing the Croatian international in the past few days, with TuttoMercatoWeb reporting that an €8m (£6m) deal is close to being agreed on.
Torino reigniting their interest will throw a spanner in Monza’s plan to sign Juranovic this January. However, for Celtic, the news could not have been any better, with the Hoops now in line to receive much more than they had originally planned for the defender this month.
Indeed, with Alistair Johnston already becoming a fan favourite following his move this winter from CF Montreal, selling Juranovic is something that can happen at its own pace. And with two clubs now set to battle it out for the 27-year-old, a bigger payday could be on the cards for Celtic.
Moreover, from Juranovic’s point of view, a bigger club than Monza coming in for him is an encouraging sign for the player’s future, with Torino a team that would be more appealing to the Croatian international than a side that have only just been promoted this season.
Torino signing Juranovic would be a better fit for all parties
Juranovic’s transfer saga has been one that has taken far longer to play out than many Celtic fans expected. However, the defender could soon be on his way out of Parkhead in the coming days, where signing for Torino could be the best and now most likely outcome for the fullback.
After all, Torino are one of the most established clubs in Serie A, and whilst Monza are an ambitious team with some good players on their books, Juranovic would be making a better career decision in signing for the Turin-based side than heading to Lombardy.
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