Juventus have made contract with Roma regarding a possible deal for Italy international midfielder Nicolo Zaniolo, GOAL has learned.
The talented 22-year-old has registered on the recruitment radar in Turin for some time, but only now has that interest been formalised.
Initial discussions have been held between the Serie A rivals, with the Bianconeri ready to step up their efforts to lure promising playmaker Zaniolo away from the Italian capital.
What could a deal for Zaniolo be worth?
It is understood that Roma value Zaniolo at around €50 million (£43m/$53m).
They saw him net the winning goal in their Europa Conference League final triumph over Feyenoord last season and will not part with one of their prized assets for less than his full market value.
That could prove to be a stumbling block for Juve, but they have potential sweeteners up their sleeve.
Brazilian midfielder Arthur Melo could be used as a makeweight in any move for Zaniolo, as the Bianconeri seek to soften the blow for the Giallorossi.
Are Juventus still keen on Angel Di Maria?
While exploring the possibility of prising Zaniolo away from Roma, Juve remain keen on experienced Argentine forward Angel Di Maria.
Getty ImagesHe has become a free agent after reaching the end of his contract at Paris Saint-Germain, with GOAL confirming back in May that a move to land the 34-year-old South American had been made.
Juve are still hopeful of getting paperwork signed there, and any agreement with Di Maria would not impact plans when it comes to Zaniolo.
There is a chance with Zaniolo that a loan deal will be discussed that includes an option to buy at the end of the 2022-23 campaign.
It would be quite a coup for Juve were they able to get the highly-rated Azzurri star on board, but there is acknowledgement at the Allianz Stadium that any proposal will not be easy to push through and that talks may drag on into the summer window for some time yet.
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