Juventus hand Marotta new three-year deal

The chief executive has joined six other key directors from the sports management department in agreeing fresh terms with the Italian champions

Juventus have handed new three-year contracts to the club’s sports management department, including chief executive Giuseppe Marotta.

The Italian champions are cruising to a fourth consecutive Serie A crown and have also reached the Coppa Italia final and the last four of the Champions league.

However, their post-season is expected to be a busy one, with Paul Pogba again likely to be linked to a host of European rivals and Carlos Tevez remaining in Boca Juniors’ sights.

Marotta himself has already confirmed the club are negotiating with Palermo for striker Paulo Dybala as they look to secure an insurance policy should Tevez leave.

“We are speaking with [Palermo president Maurizio] Zamparini but the negotiations are difficult,” he said of the player valued at €50m.

While the corridors of power at Juventus Stadium are sure to be hectic this summer, the men making the decisions can at least relax in the knowledge their own positions appear safe.

Sporting director Fabio Paratici, general secretary Maurizio Lombardo, first team manager Matteo Fabris, vice sporting director Federico Cherubini and youth sector chiefs Stefano Braghin and Gianluca Pessotto have also agreed new deals.

No bids for Southampton stars – Koeman

The likes of Nathaniel Clyne, Morgan Schneiderlin and Victor Wanyama have all been linked with other clubs, but the Saints boss says no firm offers are on the table


Ronald Koeman insists he has received no bids for any of his Southampton stars in the wake of speculation linking Victor Wanyama with Arsenal.

The Kenya midfielder rejected a report that emerged earlier on Thursday that included quotes attributed to him claiming that Gunners boss Arsene Wenger is keen to sign him.

Rumours have also linked right-back Nathaniel Clyne with a summer move to Manchester United, but Koeman is adamant there has been no serious interest in his players.

He said on Friday: “I’ve spoken to Victor. He says it’s not true what they put in the press and I believe the player but it’s a good signal for everybody that we have to be focused on the football side and not about the future, about contracts.

“If you’re doing well like we do then there is always interest in players, but still all the players have contracts for next season and, until now, there is no serious bid for the players.

“We will see what happens. We don’t have the pressure to sell players.”

Koeman has responded to the latest transfer rumours regarding by sitting down with his squad and calling for concentration levels to be high as Southampton chase a top-six finish in the Premier League.

“We had a meeting with all the players because what we need is now to have the focus on the last five games we play, a European position [is] on the table,” said Koeman added as he faced the media ahead of Saturday’s game against Tottenham, which pits sixth versus seventh.

“We have a massive game this Saturday and no interest in rumours, in talking in press about future, about contracts, to have the focus on the football side.”

Pardew: Liverpool want Bolasie? It'd cost them €56m

The Reds have been linked with a move for the lively Crystal Palace winger but, while the Eagles boss admits that “everyone has a price”, he would demand a huge fee


Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew says that it would take at least €56 million for him to even consider selling  Yannick Bolasie this summer.

The winger has been linked with a close-season switch to Liverpool after a fine campaign for the Eagles this term and, while his boss accepts that “everyone has a price”, he insists he would demand a huge fee.

“If someone wants to give me €56m-€84m [for Bolasie], somewhere in there, that would be good,” Pardew told reporters. “I’d take it and we’d build the team around that money.

“Everyone has a price, of course. I can think of a situation I had at Newcastle in the last hour of the transfer window – a team that wasn’t great and not far away from the relegation zone and we accepted €42m for Andy Carroll.

“Now, at that time, I said to the chairman it was a gamble because we were by no means secure but we did it and we spent the money wisely and ended up with a very, very good team. It is about the right price for the right player and then you have to build on that.

“If a manager wants to ring me up, I’ll talk to them and give them a proper price.”

On the other side of transfer speculation, Pardew declared himself “surprised” to have been linked with a swoop for Newcastle goalkeeper Tim Krul.

“I’m surprised at that because there’s been no contact between me and Newcastle and certainly not with me and the player or the agents that represent him,” the ex-Toon manager said.

“I don’t know where it’s come from and, quite frankly, it’s unwelcome. I have a great situation with the goalkeepers here. Tim’s a great goalkeeper but he’s a Newcastle goalie and I’m pretty confident that’s where he’ll stay.

“I don’t understand that one. As far as we’re concerned we’re looking at a number of players for next season but a goalie isn’t one of them.”