Real And Juve Set To Open Zidane Talks
Thursday 14th June 2001
The presidents of Real Madrid and Juventus will meet in Turin next week to discus the future of Zinedine Zidane, according to reports in Italy.
Real Madrid supremo Florentino Perez will offer Gianni Agnelli around �40 million for the French star, whose wife, Veronique, has long made it clear she wants to live in Spain.
Agnelli wants to keep Zidane but the Juve board also wants players to be happy in Turin and Agnelli is said to be ready to accept Real's offer to fund a bid for Arsenal midfielder Patrick Vieira.
Real Madrid sports director Jorge Valdano last month assured Juventus midfielder Zinedine Zidane that the Spanish champions will do all they can to sign him.
"It is true that Zidane said two days ago that he wants to play at Real," Valdano said. "If he says he wants to come then we will do our best to bring him here."
Juventus are already understood to have secured the services of France international defender Liliam Thuram for next season. The Turin giants are also expected to return to Parma for goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon with an offer of Dutch stopper Edwin Van der Sar plus around �18 million cash.
But Juve have failed in their bid to recruit Pavel Nedved, with the Czech international signing a new deal with Lazio on Wednesday.
