Jorge Mendes: Juventus like Antonio Silva and he likes Juventus back
12/27/2024 02:40 PM
The agent of one of Juve's reported January transfer targets has some things to say about the current state of the market.
With the January transfer window very much being on the doorstep of things and Juventus' very clear need for some additional upgrades (or simply depth in multiple positions), it is very appropriate for agents to come out and be seen a little bit more than in the fall months. There's year-end award gatherings, maybe a holiday party or two to attend, and there's always going to be no lack of microphones for them to potentially speak in to.
And it just so happens that for the first time in a few years, Juventus are again doing business with arguably the biggest agents in the game, Jorge Mendes.
So when Mendes takes to the microphone with Sky Italia during the build-up to the Globe Soccer Awards in Dubai, there is very much a Juventus-related interest in what he says. That is because one of Juventus' January transfer targets, Benfica center back Antonio Silva, is very much a Mendes client. So what did Mendes have to say about Juve's interest in the 21-year-old Silva?
"Juventus want Antonio Silva, and Antonio Silva wants Juventus," Mendes told Sky (via Football Italia).
Oh really? Well that's very good to know, Jorge.
Please, if you will, go ahead and tell us more about this situation.
"Benfica have the last word, so patience is needed. We'll see what happens. Surely, Antonio would love to join Juventus, but the transfer window is still closed, so we'll see. He is an important player, he has quality and the best clubs in the world have followed him."
OK, so that's very much not as encouraging as the first part of what Mendes had to say about what's happening between Juventus and Silva. But it's not like it was ever assumed that potentially bringing Silva to Turin would be a simple matter considering the fact that Benfica could very well demand upward of €40 million.
Juventus obviously won't be able to afford something like that in January, with most of the reports regarding the interest Cristiano Giuntoli has in trying to sign Silva centering around an initial loan with option to buy.
Silva has played just 815 minutes in all competitions so far this season for Benfica, with seven of his appearances (all starts) coming in the Primeira Liga. He already has 18 caps to his name with the Portuguese national team.
Mendes is also the agent of Juventus winger Francisco Conceição, who is currently on a season-long loan deal but has always been thought of as a player that Giuntoli will buy in full come the summer of 2025. According to reports essentially right after Conceição signed this past summer, Juventus and Porto have a gentleman's agreement on making the deal a permanent one even though it is technically a dry loan for the 2024-25 season.
Conceição has a buyout clause of €30 million that pretty much everybody expects Juventus to trigger at some point over the next few months.
"His future is at Juventus. He's very happy to be there, and the club is satisfied with him," Mendes said. "I hope the relationship continues for a long time."
Considering how Conceição has played this season, we very much hope that Juventus' relationship with the diminutive 22-year-old very much continues for a long time, too.
