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Two of Italy\u2019s biggest clubs are in a battle to sign Socceroos centre back Alessandro Circati, but they will have to pay up to secure the 22-year-old in what would be an Australian record transfer fee.<\/p>\n
Juventus and AC Milan have made contact with Circati\u2019s current club Parma, who have placed a \u20ac25 million ($41.1m) price tag on their vice-captain\u2019s head, according to Ekrem Manour, who is transfer news reporter for The Sun, Caught Offside and Hooligan Soccer.<\/p>\n
\ufeffGet all the latest football news, highlights and analysis delivered straight to your inbox with Fox Sports Sportmail. Sign up now!!!<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n Circati attracted a lot of interest from other Serie A clubs off the back of an outstanding World Cup campaign for the Socceroos, which came off the back of an impressive season with Parma.<\/p>\n The Perth Glory product was linked to the likes of La Liga\u2019s Atletico Madrid, the Premier League\u2019s Newcastle and back-to-back Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain courtesy of his performances for Australia in the United States and Canada.<\/p>\n Circati\u2019s father and co-agent Gianfranco told football360.com.au last month that the market is \u201cbuzzing\u201d for his son.<\/p>\n \u201cYou must remember that Ale has a contract until 2029 and is very happy where he is, so we\u2019re not in a hurry,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s really up to Parma whether they want to keep him or sell him … there have been some talks.\u201d<\/p>\n Earlier reports suggested Circati would fetch a transfer fee around $32m, but Parma have clearly decided that their rivals will need to pay up if they are to lose the Australian defender, who joined them in 2022 and was pivotal in securing promotion to Serie A in the 2023\/24 season before becoming a consistent performer in the Italian top flight in the last two seasons.<\/p>\n The sum Parma are asking for would smash the Australian transfer record, which was set after the 2022 World Cup when Leicester City bought Harry Souttar for $25m and is set to be broken by the third member of the Socceroos\u2019 centre back trio – Lucas Herrington.<\/p>\n The Athletic reported on Monday that Herrington\u2019s current club Colorado Rapids have agreed to sell the 18-year-old to newly promoted Premier League club Hull<\/a> on a transfer fee worth \u00a317 million ($32.5 million).<\/p>\n Pressure grows on Infantino and FIFA | 00:52<\/p>\n PREMIER LEAGUE CHAMPIONS\u2019 BID REJECTED<\/b><\/p>\n Arsenal\u2019s opening bid for Newcastle captain Bruno Guimaraes has been rejected by the Magpies with the two clubs now in direct talks over a deal. <\/p>\n Guimaraes is in Spain for a pre-season training camp with Newcastle, but the 28-year-old last month told club bosses that he wants to move to the Emirates.<\/p>\n Newcastle want the Brazilian to stay as he has two years left on his contract.<\/p>\n The Telegraph reported that an offer in the region of \u00a370-80m may be enough to seal the move, despite earlier reports that Newcastle initially insisted they wanted almost \u00a3100m.<\/p>\n \u201cYou knew Newcastle would go into these negotiations trying to get as much money as possible from Arsenal,\u201d football expert Julian Laurens told Sky Sports News.<\/p>\n \u201cBut we\u2019ve seen from Arsenal this summer they won\u2019t pay over the odds, what they believe is the value of a player – Bruno Guimaraes, Morgan Rogers, Diomande and others.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s an interesting chess game starting between Newcastle and Arsenal. I believe between the player and Arsenal there were never going to be any problems, so it\u2019s between the clubs.<\/p>\n \u201cThat first bid was always going to happen about now, it was always going to be rejected. Now, the two clubs can discuss it a bit more.<\/p>\n \u201cI think Newcastle know how much Guimaraes wants to leave and join Arsenal, and we know the current situation financially from a Newcastle point of view.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s one of the reasons Eddie Howe left, he knew Guimaraes would be sold to Arsenal at some point.<\/p>\n \u201cNewcastle want to avoid what happened with Alexander Isak last summer because it didn\u2019t bring anything good to anyone – not Newcastle, Isak or Liverpool.<\/p>\n \u201cI expect to see this go through in the next couple of weeks, and from an Arsenal point of view they get not only one of the best midfielders in the Premier League, but someone who can play as a No 6, a No 8 and a No 10.<\/p>\n \u201cThe idea from Mikel Arteta to sign him is how press-resistant he is. If you play against a team who come and chase you and want to play out from the back, Bruno is the best at that role.<\/p>\n \u201cI fully expect him to play in front of the back four, and have Rice and Odegaard either side of him, and be able to dictate the tempo and control everything.\u201d<\/p>\n READ MORE<\/b><\/p>\n Transfer Whispers \u2014<\/i><\/i>Aussie wonderkid set for huge move; PL giants sign World Cup villain<\/a><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n \ufeff\u2018Shabby, back room deal\u2019: UEFA escalates FIFA feud with legal threat and five-day deadline<\/a><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n