Muzzi Top Priority For Juventus
Thursday 27th December 2001
Juventus chief executive Luciano Moggi has revealed his determination to sign �10 million-rated Udinese striker Roberto Muzzi, while dismissing reports linking Igor Tudor with Manchester United.
"We're not selling anyone. Getting Muzzi is our top priority," Moggi declared.
Lazio have also made no secret of the fact they are keen to land Muzzi, but Moggi feels the Turin club will win the race for the striker's signature.
"We are hopeful that we can get Roberto Muzzi, but it is also up to Udinese to consent to the move," he explained.
Udinese seem certain to cash in on their prize asset, with Zebras boss Giampiero Ventura admitting he is resigned to losing the 30-year-old Italian.
"He will leave in January," Ventura explained. "I have known it for months. It is a real blow because Muzzi is probably the best goalscorer in Italy."
Juventus have been short of a forward ever since Marcelo Salas was ruled out for the season with a knee injury, and strike duo David Trezeguet and Alessandro del Piero have both urged coach Marcello Lippi to dip into the transfer market.
Meanwhile, Moggi brushed off talk that Manchester United are planning a �15 million raid for the highly-rated Tudor.
"Igor has been in excellent form, and anyway we're certainly not selling anyone right now," he snapped.
Lippi used the Croatian centre-half as a defensive midfielder during Edgar Davids' lengthy ban and feels he is an integral member of the squad.
"I can see him becoming our [Marcel] Desailly. He could do even better than Desailly did for Milan because technically he is a better player than the Frenchman," the Italian coach explained.
Lippi also expressed his delight at the manner in which Davids has reacted to recent criticism. The Dutch star threatened to quit Turin after being named among the substitutes for the Champions' League clash with Arsenal but the two appear to have patched up their differences.
"I dropped him to the bench a few weeks ago and I think he learned something from that," Lippi explained.
"I brought him back against Brescia and he was terrific and contributed greatly to the 4-0 win. He knows how highly I rate him, and I hope he continues to play like he did in Brescia.
