Juventus boss Antonio Conte has confirmed that Sunderland target Emanuele Giaccherini is set to depart. The Black Cats are understood to have agreed an £8.5m deal with the Italian giants for the 28-year-old midfielder, who is now expected to travel to England to finalise personal terms and undergo a medical. Juventus were initially reluctant to let the Italy international leave, but Conte has accepted that Giaccherini will have to be sacrificed in order to fund his own rebuilding plans. âAny departure is painful, but it is a necessary sacrifice,â admitted Conte. âTo me, every player is non- transferable, but I understand the needs of the club. âIf you ask me if I am happy, the answer is no.â Juventus have already spent £7.5m on Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez and are in the process of finalising a £13m deal for Torino defender Angelo Ogbonna. Sunderland are also closing in on deals for Spurs midfielder Tom Huddlestone, Argentinian defender Gino Peruzzi and Greek winger Charas Mavrias. The Wearsiders are believed to have agreed a £5m fee for England international Huddlestone, who has been given permission by Spurs to open talks over personal terms. But the 26-year-old will have to take a pay cut to join the Black Cats, who are willing to pay no more than £35,000 per week for a player who is currently on £40,000 per week at White Hart Lane. Right-back Peruzzi is due to fly to England on Sunday to complete his protracted £5m move from Velez Sarsfield. The deal for the 21-year-old had hit a snag over personal terms, but they have now been resolved and he is set to undergo a medical and join Paolo Di Canioâs side. Panathinaikos wideman Charas Mavrias is expected on Wearside next week to seal his £2.5m move. Meanwhile, five Sunderland games have been picked for live TV coverage in the first three months of the season. Broadcasters Sky Sports and newciners BT Sport have announced the first tranche of televised fixtures, which covers the start of the season until the beginning of December. The Wear-Tyne derby against Newcastle is one of four games at the Stadium of Light selected, along with the visits of Liverpool, champions Manchester United and title hopefuls Manchester City. The lone away fixture picked is Sunderlandâs early- season trip to newly-promoted Crystal Palace. The Black Catsâ game at Selhurst Park remains on Saturday, August 31, but has moved to a 5.30pm kick-off. Liverpoolâs visit to the Stadium of Light has been moved to Sunday, September 29, with a 4pm kick-off, while the game against champions Manchester United stays on Saturday, October 5, but moves to the later time of 5.30pm. The derby is scheduled for a 4pm kick-off on Sunday, October 27, and Manchester City will visit on Sunday, November 10, with kick-off at 2.05pm. All the above fixtures will be screened by Sky. A sixth Sunderland fixture has also been moved, although will not be shown on TV. The Black Catsâ game against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge has been put back 24 hours to Wednesday, December 4, with a 7.45pm kick-off.
If these four sign up that means Iv'e ran out of fingers to keep count, Iv'e been supporting the lads since 1959 and have never know a spree of new signings that comes anywhere near to this. We all knew we needed a squad overhaul but this is just beyond dreamland, just hope they all gel well together and we take the premiership by storm, the good thing is they are all young and will want to try their best to succeed so fingers and toes are all crossed.
its also the speed of it all for me mate, none of this biting our finger nails up until the last minute of the window, giving ourselves plenty of time to get it right and the televised asia cup on sky to look forward too. tie these 4 up and i think we will only be maybe 3 signings from being done ie Rose, another CM and possibly a hooooge name striker like Llorente or some **** we havnt even comprehended yet
We've had more overhauls than hot dinners, this one is more of an unknown for me, but it looks like we're moving with the times at last.
I'm worried.... Where are all the relegated players and journeymen? Where is Alex Fergusons usual cheap castoff? Where is Robbie Keane?
this must be the first season since we got back into the premiership that he hasn't been link. And that's only because he an old fella. As the british sports press.
We are linked with and bringing in hungry young exciting footballers and ditching the old tried and failed relegated players and begging cast offs to come here for inflated wages. I still don't now whether it will work but blow me its exciting as **** to be part of and I cant wait for the season to start.
i think its going to add a lot of continuity going forward. in the past when we have changed managers then all transfer plans are scrapped and the new guy needs time to make the squad his own. at least from now in if we change manager we still have a scouting department and dof keeping things going behind the schenes and theres no more of this 2-3 windows before the manager can call the squad there own. plus we seem to be getting some real young talent who could turn in to excellent future prospects. and if they do come good and move on at least we get a fair wedge for them which will help the club be more sustainable.
I honestly cant see a huge name coming in. And if one did it could upset the dynamics of the whole squad. What PDC is doing IMO, is building a very good group of Footballers prepared to work very hard and fight for each other.
