Juventus ‘considering a move for Graziano Pelle’ in January to bolster their attack with former Southampton striker, 35, facing prospect of an 80 PER CENT pay cut at Shandong Luneng as Chinese Super League brings in drastic salary cap
- Juventus trail AC Milan by 10 points and sit a lowly sixth in Serie A table
- Andrea Pirlo’s side have struggled to find their usual free-scoring displays
- They are reportedly considering a move for striker Graziano Pelle this month
- 35-year-old currently plays for Shandong Luneng in Chinese Super League
- An exodus of the league’s best-known players is expected ahead of salary cap
Juventus ‘are considering a January move for former Southampton forward Graziano Pelle’ as they look to bolster their attacking options.
Andrea Pirlo’s team are well off the pace in Serie A this season, ringing in the New Year in a lowly sixth place and some 10 points adrift of unbeaten leaders AC Milan.
They have scored fewer goals than all the teams around them in the table with Cristiano Ronaldo and Alvaro Morata supplying the vast majority of them.
Juventus ‘are considering a move for former Italy striker Graziano Pelle’ this month
The 35-year-old is currently playing for Shandong Luneng in the Chinese Super League
According to Goal, they will try and boost their goal tally by signing the 35-year-old former Italy international Pelle from Chinese Super League club Shandong Luneng.
Pelle has reportedly been offered to both Milan clubs while West Ham also retain an interest as the exodus of talent from the Chinese top division continues ahead of imminent salary restrictions.
The striker is seen as a low-cost option and is believed to be keen on holding talks with Juventus chief football officer Fabio Paratici to seal a move to Turin this month.
Pelle scored 30 goals in 81 appearances for Southampton between 2014 and 2016 before moving out to China. He has also played for Lecce, AZ Alkmaar, Parma and Feyenoord.
Juventus manager Andrea Pirlo is looking for ways to boost the number of goals in his team
Pelle celebrates scoring for Southampton against Chelsea during his time playing in England
He scored nine goals in 20 appearances for Italy and made Antonio Conte’s squad for Euro 2016, where he scored against Belgium and Spain before missing in a penalty shoot-out against Germany in the quarter-finals.
The Chinese Super League is set for an exodus of its best-known players after the country’s football association approved a salary cap last month.
Salaries for domestic players will be limited to £572,000 a year, while foreign players can now earn a maximum of £2.7million a year.
It means Pelle, who currently earns £13.7m in China, would have to take a pay cut of 80 per cent or £11m.
The former Chelsea player Oscar, who earns £18.87m a year at Shanghai SIPG, would lose over 85 per cent of his earnings.