JUVENTUS are stepping up their pursuit of Axel Witsel in preparation for the departure of Paul Pogba in the summer.
Reports yesterday claimed that Manchester City were leading Chelsea and Manchester United in the race for Pogba, who they see as they long-term replacement for Yaya Toure.
Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain are also in contention to sign the French international, after the player’s agent admitted recently that he was likely to leave Serie A sooner rather than later.
And reports in Belgium this morning suggest that Juve have already accepted the inevitable and are looking to life after the 21-year-old.
Indeed, it is claimed that the Turin giants have already held talks with Witsel – currently of Zenit Saint Petersburg – over stepping into the void.
Witsel has himself been linked with a move to Manchester United in the past, admitting he dreams of playing in the Premier League.
Recently he said: “I want to play in one of the top clubs in Europe one day. It’s true that I like the Premier League, because it is one of the best leagues in the world, for me, together with Germany and Spain.
“It is a very good league, it is a crazy league. A lot of my colleagues play there, but we will see. I am still young, only 26. We‘ll see in the future. I have always liked Manchester United from when I was young.
