Exclusive: How Monaco nabbed golden boy Pellegri from Juve and Spurs
His name? Pietro Pellegri, who was also wanted by Tottenham but who, Fabrizio Romano reveals exclusively for Calciomercato, was set to move to Turin for €10 million back in January.
Everyone knows what happened afterwards: Genoa, his former team, held them off expecting an offer from Monaco, who signed him for €30m plus bonuses.
Pellegri netted his first Ligue 1 goal at the weekend at only 17 years old, picking a defender (Jules Koundé) before firing a beauty past Benoit Costil.
Yet Romano reveals that back in January (on the 26th, to be exact), Pellegri (who made his Serie A debut aged 15) had agreed to move to Juventus, and was agreeing to a five-year deal with the Bianconeri.
Juventus and Genoa were ready to meet at the Football League’s offices to confirm the €10m deal… only for Genoa president Enrico Preziosi to insist on waiting for offers.
Monaco, who have also bagged Serie A players like Keita Baldé and Antonio Barreca recently, were there to pounce.