Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Leandro Paredes has revealed Juventus tried to sign him nine years ago, but his agent rejected the move.
The Old Lady have been linked with the Argentine in recent months and the 25-year-old, who has played for Chievo, Roma and Empoli in Italy, has claimed he was close to joining Juventus as a teenager.
In an interview with TNT Sport, Paredes said: “In 2011, a Juventus director tried to buy me and told me he wanted me as back-up for [Andrea] Pirlo.
Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Leandro Paredes has revealed Juventus tried to sign him nine years ago, but his agent rejected the move.
The Old Lady have been linked with the Argentine in recent months and the 25-year-old, who has played for Chievo, Roma and Empoli in Italy, has claimed he was close to joining Juventus as a teenager.
In an interview with TNT Sport, Paredes said: “In 2011, a Juventus director tried to buy me and told me he wanted me as back-up for [Andrea] Pirlo.
“My agent said they were crazy, and I stayed at Boca Juniors.”
Paredes arrived in Paris from Zenit St Petersburg in January 2019 and played 17 games for the French champions this term.
“The same Juventus director later brought me to Zenit. Sometimes he laughed because he wanted me for three years in a row and I never went there.”
Paredes explained that his loan stint at Empoli in 2015-16 changed him, as he moved to become a holding midfielder in Marco Giampaolo’s side.
“My father always told me that I would end up playing in front of the defence. I told him he was crazy. Even my agent thought I couldn’t play there.
“At Empoli, after having made my debut against Napoli, the coach [Giampaolo] told me he liked me as a No5.
“I felt comfortable and I never moved away from that position after that.”