Burdisso joins Di Natale in rejecting Juve

Argentina centre-back Nicolas Burdisso has rejected an offer from Juventus because he has his heart set on joining AS Roma, his agent said Thursday.

Burdisso, who played for Argentina at the World Cup, spent last season on loan at Roma and was a huge success, even pushing France international Philippe Mexes out of the starting line-up.

He has been hoping for a permanent move to the capital as he is not first choice at Inter where Lucio and Walter Samuel form the regular centre-back partnership.

The two clubs have not agreed agreement, though, and although Juve hoped to hijack the deal, Burdisso has joined Udinese’s Antonio Di Natale in rejecting the Old Lady of Turin’s advances.

“We’ve made up our minds, we respect Juve but we’ve given our word to Roma,” said Fernando Hidalgo, Burdisso’s agent.

“I rang the Juve management and told them of our final decision: we only want Roma,” he told Sky Sport.

Hidalgo insisted that it is not money that is blocking the move.

“I hope (Inter president Massimo) Moratti lets Burdisso leave for Roma, otherwise he will stay at Inter until the end of his contract.

“(Roma director Daniele) Prade told me that Roma have matched Juve’s offer, for Inter it’s not about money.”

The 29-year-old Burdisso’s brother Guillermo, 22, another centre-back, has also joined Roma on loan for the season from Rosario Central.