Gigli Admits Van Der Vaart Interest

Rafael Van der Vaart’s potential transfer from Hamburg to Juventus moved another step closer after Giovanni Cobolli Gigli admitted the Bianconeri’s interest in the player.

The Dutch midfielder is virtually certain to leave the Bundesliga at the end of the current season, as he has a clause in his contract which will allows him to be sold for just £1m in 2009.

Hamburg will thus avoid the risk of this taking place by cashing in on their star man next summer.

A host of big European clubs have been linked with a move for the 24-year-old including Valencia and Inter Milan, but Juventus have emerged as strong favourites for his signature in the past few days.

“For sure we will return to the market and we are at looking around for players for the summer,” said Juve President Cobolli Gigli.

“We will buy players of a certain calibre, someone on the level of Van der Vaart.”

Van der Vaart himself opened up a path for a move by admitting he would move to a big club like Juventus.

“I will only leave Hamburg for a big club, such as Juventus,” the ex-Ajax man told Voetbal International.

“I know that they are interested and if the Bianconeri were to make me a concrete offer I would consider it very carefully.”

www.goal.com - 13/12/2007 18:16