News Focus
- Juventus owner John Elkann orders crisis talks after failed moves for Openda and Zhegrova place French director Damien Comolli under scrutiny
- Bayern Munich target Inter Milan defender Yann Bisseck and could pursue deals for Solet and Muharemovic
- Aston Villa manager Unai Emery wins an historic fifth Europa League title following a 3-0 victory against Freiburg
- Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis accelerates his search for a new coach with Massimiliano Allegri and Vincenzo Italiano on the shortlist
- Catanzaro secure a place in the Serie B promotion final against Monza despite a 2-0 defeat to Palermo
Juventus are in serious trouble. Owner John Elkann will meet the club’s top bosses on Tuesday to discuss the crisis. All other meetings with the chief executive are cancelled. The club planned to hire French sporting director Damien Comolli. However, his attempts to sign forwards Lois Openda and Edon Zhegrova have collapsed. Now Comolli’s position is at risk.
The team also faces problems on the pitch. They could miss out on next season’s Champions League. Coach Massimiliano Allegri plans to rely on his most trusted players for the final push. Key stars like Rafael Leao, Fikayo Tomori and Youssef Fofana could start on the bench. In positive news, midfielder Manuel Locatelli and striker Dusan Vlahovic have settled their recent disagreement.
Across Italy, Napoli are working quickly to rebuild their squad. President Aurelio De Laurentiis wants a new manager. He may return for former Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri. Fiorentina coach Vincenzo Italiano is another option. Links with current target Maurizio Sarri remain uncertain. Atalanta are also competing for the same candidates. The Partenopei hope to complete a deal for Germany midfielder Leon Goretzka before they sign a new striker.
Inter Milan face pressure to keep their players. German champions Bayern Munich have identified defender Yann Aurel Bisseck as a priority target. The Bavarian club could also move for Solet and Muharemovic. Meanwhile, Inter will host the prestigious Golden Boy award ceremony in Solomeo. The event celebrates the best Under-21 footballer in Europe.
In Spain, Atletico Madrid have offered a Portuguese star the creative role currently held by Antoine Griezmann. The player is ready to join even though the club will not play in the Champions League next season. He has rejected moves to clubs that will compete in the Europa League. In England, Manchester City playmaker Bernardo Silva looks likely to stay put as his rumoured transfer to Italy fades away.
Unai Emery has written his name deeper into European history. The Aston Villa boss won the Europa League for the fifth time in his career. His Premier League side defeated German team Freiburg 3-0 in the final. This adds to his four previous triumphs with Spanish club Sevilla.
Italy national team coach Luciano Spalletti has held talks with supporters. He accepts responsibility for recent failures but wants a central role in future plans. He is waiting for the club to appoint a new sporting director he can work with.
In the lower leagues, Catanzaro have reached the Serie B promotion playoff final. They lost 2-0 to Palermo but still advanced on aggregate. They will face Monza on May 24 and May 29 for a place in Italy’s top division.