Di Marzio: Juventus director in Istanbul to negotiate deal for Fenerbahce striker | OneFootball

Juventus sporting director Marco Ottolini has arrived in Istanbul for crunch talks with Fenerbahce and Youssef En-Nesyri.

Ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League conest against Benfica, Juventus Director of Football Strategy Giorgio Chiellini confirmed that the club could add a new striker in January to make up for Dusan Vlahovic’s absence.

The Bianconeri initially identified Jean-Philippe Mateta as their main target for the role. But while the French striker was reportedly keen on the move, they couldn’t reach an agreement with Crystal Palace over the formula and figures.

Marco Ottolini arrives in Istanbul as Juventus try to secure Youssef En-Nesyri deal

After seemingly giving up on Mateta, Juventus turned their attention towards En-Nesyri, who appears to be a more plausible option, with Fenerbahce seemingly open to parting ways with the 28-year-old.

According to Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio, Ottolini decided to fly to Turkiye for face-to-face talks with Fenerbahce’s directors.

The Juventus delegate already held initial talks with his Turkish counterparts on Wednesday evening, and another meeting is expected to take place on Thursday.

Youssef En-Nesyri (Photo by Ahmad Mora/Getty Images)

While the source insists that the Bianconeri are now in pole position to sign the Moroccan international, the club isn’t willing to spend money in January.

Therefore, Ottolini will try to convince the Istanbul-based giants to accept a loan move until June, with an option to buy at the end of the season.

Moreover, Fenerbahce will be keen to find a replacement before sanctioning En-Nesyri’s departure.

En-Nesyri’s stats and career path

This season, En-Nesyri has made 25 appearances across all competitions, contributing with eight goals and an assist.

Before moving to the east side of Istanbul in 2024, the Moroccan centre-forward had spent nine years in Spain, beginning with Malaga, where he rose through the club’s youth ranks.

The striker then had a stint at Leganes before rising to prominence during his four-year spell at Sevilla between 2020 and 2024.