Exclusive: Juventus Set to Hijack Roma’s Move for Atlético Madrid's Giacomo Raspadori

Juventus are plotting to hijack Roma’s move for Giacomo Raspadori, SportsBoom can exclusively reveal.

Roma have been forced to turn their attention away from Manchester United’s Joshua Zirkzee in their search for a striker in recent days after the Premier League club shut down communication following the sacking of manager Ruben Amorim. 

Our sources understand the Italian outfit were already chasing Raspadori and he is now their top choice this window.

Roma have been looking to bolster their strike stocks all season and had earmarked both Zirkzee and Raspadori as their priority targets. 

But after seeing the chance to sign Zirkzee evaporate last week, Roma could miss out again with rivals Juventus joining the race for Raspadori. 

Roma appear to have sealed a deal for Marseille’s Robinho Vaz for a reported £20m, potentially turning them away from Raspadori and leaving Juventus as clear favourites to land the striker.

The Italian international has struggled since moving to Atletico Madrid in the summer and is desperate for a move back to his native country.

Raspadori penned a five-year contract with the Spanish club, but he wants out of Madrid just five months later. 

The 25-year-old has scored just two goals for the club this term, his maiden goal coming in a 5-1 drubbing of Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League and his second in the Copa Del Rey against Atletico Baleares, who play in the fourth tier of Spanish football. 

But Juventus bosses are undeterred by this season's returns given his record in Italian football and desire to strengthen their frontline with trio Kenan Yildiz (six), Dusan Vlahovic (three) and Jonathan David (two) scoring just 11 league goals between them this term.

Home is where the Heart is 

Still in the Italy squad, Raspadori, who was part of the EURO 2020 winning squad, wants to ensure he remains part of Gennaro Gattuso’s plans should they qualify for this summer’s World Cup. 

Born in Bentivoglio, Raspadori joined the Sassuolo youth academy at the age of nine. 

He penned his first professional contract, a four-year deal, in 2018 and made his debut the following year — going on to score 18 league goals in 76 appearances for the club. 

After ten league goals in the 2021/22 season, Raspadori joined Napoli on loan with an obligation to buy and scored four Champions League goals for the club that season.

Last term, he netted six times in the league after the club won their fourth Serie A title before moving to Spain in the summer.