By Nadia Carminati Last updated: 5th July 2008
Alonso: Linked with Juve
Juventus are refusing to confirm they are still chasing Liverpool's Spain international midfielder Xabi Alonso.
The Serie A giants are looking to bolster their midfield options this summer but have stated they will not rush a decision on who to sign.
Although the Old Lady have a healthy budget to spend this close-season to reinforce Claudio Ranieri's squad, they have yet to agree a fee for Alonso.
"We have never named names. It's an important decision and we'll consider it at length because the final choice must be within our budget," Juve's chief officer Jean Claude Blanc told the Italian media.
"We spend the right time evaluating players. It will be an investment of between 10 and 30million euros (£8million - £23.7million).
"We will talk things over at length with Claudio Ranieri and his staff."
Although Alonso is being hotly tipped to move to the Stadio Delle Alpi this summer, Ranieri has more than one name on his midfielder wanted list.
"There are more than two names we are considering to strengthen our midfield," explained the former Chelsea tactician.
"We will choose the player who gives us the best opportunity to improve to this side."
Juve have reached this season's UEFA Champions League qualifying round after finishing third in Serie A and Ranieri wants his troops to make the group stage of the competition.
"We are really keen on making the Champions League proper," he continued.
"For this reason we must immediately overcome the preliminaries. Serie A will be surely competitive too."
| Time | Fixture |
|---|---|
| Saturday 10th January | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 12:45 | Aston Villa vs West Brom |
| 15:00 | Arsenal vs Bolton |
| 15:00 | Everton vs Hull |
| 15:00 | Fulham vs Blackburn |
| 15:00 | Middlesbrough vs Sunderland |
| 15:00 | Newcastle vs West Ham |
| 15:00 | Portsmouth vs Man City |
| 17:30 | Stoke vs Liverpool |
| Sunday 11th January | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 13:30 | Wigan vs Tottenham |
| 16:00 | Man Utd vs Chelsea |
| Wednesday 14th January | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 20:00 | Man Utd vs Wigan |
| Saturday 17th January | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Blackburn vs Newcastle |
| 15:00 | Bolton vs Man Utd |
| 15:00 | Chelsea vs Stoke |
| 15:00 | Man City vs Wigan |
| 15:00 | Sunderland vs Aston Villa |
| 15:00 | West Brom vs Middlesbrough |
| 17:30 | Hull vs Arsenal |
| Sunday 18th January | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 13:30 | West Ham vs Fulham |
| 16:00 | Tottenham vs Portsmouth |
| Time | Result |
|---|---|
| Tuesday 30th December | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Hull 0 - 1 Aston Villa | |
| Monday 29th December | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Man Utd 1 - 0 Middlesbrough | |
| Sunday 28th December | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Blackburn 2 - 2 Man City | |
| Fulham 2 - 2 Chelsea | |
| West Ham 2 - 1 Stoke | |
| Everton 3 - 0 Sunderland | |
| Arsenal 1 - 0 Portsmouth | |
| West Brom 2 - 0 Tottenham | |
| Bolton 0 - 1 Wigan | |
| Newcastle 1 - 5 Liverpool | |
| Friday 26th December | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Aston Villa 2 - 2 Arsenal | |
| Liverpool 3 - 0 Bolton | |
| Wigan 2 - 1 Newcastle | |
| Middlesbrough 0 - 1 Everton | |
| Man City 5 - 1 Hull | |
| Sunderland 0 - 0 Blackburn | |
| Portsmouth 1 - 4 West Ham | |
| Tottenham 0 - 0 Fulham | |
| Chelsea 2 - 0 West Brom | |
| Stoke 0 - 1 Man Utd | |
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