Juve Line Up Van Der Vaart Swap

Juventus are set to offer Hamburg cash plus Sergio Almiron for midfield schemer Rafael van der Vaart.

The Gazzetta dello Sport says that Almiron and team-mate Ruben Olivera have been put up for sale by the Bianconeri and will leave in January.

Uruguayan midfielder Olivera signed for Juve in 2003, but has never established himself, and Genoa are believed to have already made an approach for his services.

Almiron arrived in Turin only this summer from Empoli and was immediately labelled the “new Sebastian Veron”. However the 27-year-old has been a huge disappointment and is way down in the centre-midfield pecking order, behind the likes of Antonio Nocerino, Cristiano Zanetti and even Tiago Mendes.

Hamburg are believed to be interested in ending Almiron’s Juventus nightmare, and Dutch playmaker Rafael Van der Vaart could move the other way as part of the deal. The 24-year-old is eager to leave the Bundesliga, and Inter Milan and Valencia have also been heavily linked with the star.

The Nerazzurri in particular may make a move as they are currently in the midst of a midfield injury crisis, with Dejan Stankovic, Patrick Vieira, Luis Figo and Olivier Dacourt all sidelined.

www.goal.com - 12/12/2007 18:14