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Juventus open talks for Zaniolo: 3 players offered to Udinese

Published

2 months ago

June 29, 2026

After the latest transfer rumors involving Palestra and Nico Paz fade into the background, the spotlight of the summer market has firmly shifted to Nicolò Zaniolo, who is now set to become one of the key names of the coming days.

According to Tuttosport, a deep freeze has fallen between the player and Udinese, with both sides now speaking completely different languages in negotiations. His stay in Friuli is increasingly in doubt.

Salary dispute pushing Udinese toward breaking point

The central issue is economic adjustment. Zaniolo delivered an impressive season, scoring 5 goals and providing 5 assists, establishing himself as a technical and leadership reference point for Udinese.

His performances convinced the club to exercise their option to buy him from Galatasaray for €5 million, while retaining 50% of any future resale.

Currently, the Italian attacker earns around €1.2 million per season, a figure agreed in a last-minute deal in the summer of 2024.

His representatives are now requesting a salary increase to nearly €2 million, reportedly based on earlier promises linked to his strong performances.

Udinese, however, remain firm and unwilling to exceed their internal wage structure. With coach Kosta Runjaić set to begin pre-season preparations on July 6, time is running out.

Without a quick agreement, a complete breakdown in relations appears increasingly likely.

Juventus ready to step in amid growing market tension

In this tense scenario, Juventus have entered the picture as very interested observers. The Turin club is closely monitoring developments, also due to complications surrounding their primary target for the attacking midfield role, Brahim Díaz.

The Moroccan-born playmaker is awaiting a decisive meeting with Real Madrid. If manager José Mourinho were to guarantee him a central role in the new project—despite the arrival of Bernardo Silva—the player is expected to remain in Madrid.

To avoid being caught unprepared, Juventus have already made contact with agent Claudio Vigorelli, receiving early signals of openness to a potential move.

Udinese, however, risk being drawn into a bidding war. The starting valuation set by the Pozzo ownership is around €15 million, with interest already emerging from AC Milan and Como, while Lazio remain more distant.

Zaniolo reportedly prefers to stay in Italy, and Juventus are preparing a strategy to reduce the cash component of any deal by including technical player exchanges. The names discussed include:

Giovanni Daffara (goalkeeper)

Juan Cabal (defender)

Vasilije Adžić (midfielder)

The coming days are expected to be decisive: either a breakthrough agreement on wages is reached, or Zaniolo will leave Udine. No middle ground appears possible.