Atletico confirm Juventus interest in Aguero; Bayern set to sign Rafinha

Atletico confirm Juventus interest in Aguero

Atletico Madrid chiefs have confirmed that Juventus are indeed keeping tabs on wantaway striker Kun Aguero.

The Argentine forward has recently announced his desire to leave Vicente Calderon and it looks as though Atletico will have no choice but to sell him.

Real Madrid and Juventus are thought to be leading the race to sign the 22-year-old, and Atletico chief Miguel Angel Gil Marin has now confirmed that the Bianconeri are in the driving seat.

“I have received no offer from Real Madrid and Florentino Perez has assured me that they are not interested in the player,” Marin told Radio Marca.

“The only side which I have talked to are Juventus. I have been contacted by the Italian club, they have sent me a letter in which they have asked to negotiate for the player.

While los Colchoneros are aware they will have to cash in on their most prized asset, Marin is adamant Aguero won’t come cheap.

“Last Monday we received a fax from the Bianconeri. They showed their interest, but we will only let Aguero go for €45m – and not a euro less.”

The current asking price is the same as the player’s release clause, and even though the clause is only valid on domestic stage it appears that Atletico wouldn’t settle for less.

Juventus chief Andrea Agnelli has promised to allocate considerable funds for transfers this summer and with the Bianconeri desperate for big name signings, it looks that they won’t have problems delving deep into their pockets to sign Aguero.

Bayern set to sign Rafinha

Bayern Munich are on the verge of signing Genoa full-back Rafinha, according to Bild.

The Bavarians have already started looking for summer reinforcements and they have set their sights on former Schalke star.

The Brazilian is not too keen on staying in Genoa after the Rossoblu’s disappointing season with the latest reports suggesting he is close to agreeing a three-year deal with Bayern.

The Bavarians have yet to negotiate a transfer fee with Genoa, but they should be able to close the deal for approximately €6 million.

Rafinha is seen as a perfect addition to the right side of defence, whereas captain Philip Lahm would then move to left-back.

Meanwhile, Miroslav Klose is looking to be on his way out of Alianz Arena after he rejected another contract offer.

His current contract is due to expire on 30th June, while the Bavarians have offered him a new one-year deal, which would automatically extend for another season if Klose feature in at least 20 games.

However, the Germany international wants a two-year deal without any clauses and he is in a good position to negotiate because new Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes is desperate to keep hold of him.

Porto to buy out remainder of Otamendi’s contract

Europa League champions Porto are looking to buy out the remainder of Nicolas Otamendi’s contract from Velez Sarsfield.

The Argentina international has become an important part of Andre Villas-Boas’ squad after arriving from Velez Sarsfield last summer and it is little wonder the Dragons are desperate to keep hold of him.

In addition to his impressive defensive performances, the 23-year-old centre-back has scored 6 goals in 32 games this season, proving to be a real threat for opposition defenders at set-pieces.

This is why Porto chiefs are desperate to buy out the remainder of his contract, having acquired just 50% of the player’s rights last summer.

According to the agreement with Velez, Porto can buy out the remaining 50% of his contract for €4 million before 5th September this year and there is no doubt that the Dragons will exercise the option.

Several European clubs have already shown interest in the Argentina international, which is another reason why Porto want to close the deal as soon as possible.

The Dragons are eager to reach an agreement before the start of Copa America since Otamendi is expected to play an important role at the competition, which could see the interest in his services intensify.

[Source: A Bola]

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