Report: Everton and Tottenham make £25m bids for Maurizio Sarri favourite

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Everton and Tottenham Hotspur have both seen £25 million bids for Merih Demiral turned down by Serie A champions Juventus, according to TuttoJuve.

With Andrea Pirlo going from maestro to manager at the Allianz Stadium, the Old Lady is embarking on a substantial rebuilding project despite winning an unprecedented ninth successive Scudetto last term.

Sami Khedira will join fellow veterans Gonzalo Higuain and Blaise Matuidi in heading for the exit, while Juventus are prioritising hungry young talent in their place.

And with defensive legends Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini the wrong side of 30, Demiral already looks like one of the pillars of a new era in Turin.

A 22-year-old centre-back who prides himself on Nemanja Vidic comparisons, the Turkey international is highly rated at Juventus – even if Pirlo has handed him just seven minutes of football in the Serie A clashes with Sampdoria and Roma.

TuttoJuve reports Tottenham and Everton came calling, although Juve had no interest in accepting offers of £25 million.

Demiral is a typically Jose Mourinho-style centre-back, boasting the kind of hard-nosed combativeness reminiscent of his former charges Marco Materazzi, Sergio Ramos and John Terry.

Everton counterpart Carlo Ancelotti, meanwhile, has made it clear he wants a new centre-back after losing Mason Holgate and Jarrad Branthwaite to injury.

“He has this great positive energy he transmits to his teammates,” said former Juve coach Maurizio Sarri, who loved Demiral’s attitude as well as his ability.

“If you see someone in training who is bursting with energy, you put him on the pitch. Once you realise he is carrying on that attitude during a match situation, you keep him there.

“Demiral is brimming with confidence.”