Wolverhampton Wanderers could ask for £34m centre-back Merih Demiral in exchange if Juventus come calling for Raul Jimenez this summer, according to claims from Tuttosport.
With a late-blooming Mexican going from strength to strength since the re-start, taking his seasonal tally to 26 goals with a Robin van Persie-esque volley against Burnley, one of the biggest clubs in European football are stepping up their pursuit.
But even Juventus, a club with resources that most can only dream of, will have to box clever in this most testing of markets.
And that means that simply cannot afford to pay the staggering £90 million Wolves are demanding for a striker who will be 30 years of age in less than 12 months’ time.
Juventus have been forced to get creative and, according to reports, the Serie A leaders have offered a whole host of players in what would be a stunning swap deal.
Tuttosport claims that Juve, who have already exchanged Miralem Pjanic for Barcelona playmaker Arthur this summer, are willing to include Adrien Rabiot, Aaron Ramsey or Daniele Rugani for Jimenez.
The man Wolves really want, however, is seen in Turin as simply ‘unsellable’.
Demiral, the £34 million-rated Turk, had been a revelation at the back before suffering a season-ending injury in January.
And, given that Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini are both the wrong side of 30, a chest-thumping powerhouse of a defender who idolises Nemanja Vidic is seen as the future of Juventus’ backline alongside Matthijs de Ligt.
Juventus may be willing to offer an Italian, a French and a Welsh international for Jimenez. Demiral, however, is a step too far.
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