Juventus are nearing an agreement for Real Madrid midfielder Sami Khedira, according to a report from the Spanish publication Marca.
The German international has been out of favor in Spain for quite some time and has steadily been linked with an exit from the Bernabeu.
In November it was learned Madrid refused to renew the midfielder’s contract since the club felt slighted after Khedira’s refusal to accept a new deal last season. Rumors also surfaced stating officials believed the German international had lost his importance in the Madrid dressing room.
Khedira was once a fixture in Real Madrid’s starting eleven under former manager Jose Mourinho. However the combination of the player’s injuries and the club’s wealth of midfielding options (Toni Kroos, James Rodriguez, Isco, Asier Illaramendi and Lucas Silva) have left the German on the outside looking in.
Then, in March, Khedira confirmed he would leave Real Madrid during an interview with the German publication Kicker.
“It’s not a decision against Real Madrid,” the German international told Kicker. “I want to find new challenges for my career and continue to grow as a player.”
“I don’t have an agreement with any club nor any preferences as to who I would like to join.”
It now appears the 28-year-old is set to join Italian champions Juventus in the coming weeks.
There had been speculation the midfielder would chose a return to Germany after leaving Madrid. However, according to Marca, Khedira has chosen the Old Lady over several suitors because of the club’s “footballing pedigree”.
Meanwhile, Juventus are concerned about the potential departures of Paul Pogba and veteran Andreas Pirlo, and see Khedira as the perfect stop-gap to that problem.
Should the deal go through as reported, it would be the second reported signing for the Italian champions in a matter of weeks.
Palermo striker Paulo Dybala looks set to join Juventus next season, a move that was confirmed by his former head coach last week.
