The Moroccan forward is the top choice to bolster Spalletti’s roster: negotiations are focused on bonuses to satisfy Fenerbahçe. It’s unlikely he’ll be available in time for the match against Napoli

Youssef En-Nesyri is one step away from joining Juve: negotiations are underway in Istanbul, where Juventus sporting director Marco Ottolini has been working for the past few days. The Fenerbahçe forward is the chosen one to add that extra element to the roster that Luciano Spalletti has requested: a reliable target man who can occupy the opponent’s penalty area better than the other strikers on the roster, thereby fully compensating for the injury-related absence of Dusan Vlahovic (who is also in the final year of his contract). Negotiations have entered the final phase: discussions are focused on bonuses to bridge the gap with Fenerbahçe’s asking price, as the Turkish club has already agreed to a temporary transfer without an obligation to buy.

behind-the-scenes—  Ottolini’s mission began midweek, after securing the player’s approval and the Turkish club’s willingness to meet Juventus’s demands: relations with Fenerbahçe are good, strengthened by Kostic’s loan last season. The Juventus executive’s work in Turkey focused on two areas: sending a strong signal of support to the player—who has also drawn interest from other teams—and holding firm on the terms of the deal, which involves a 5 million loan with a buyout clause set at 20 plus 3 in bonuses. In short, the absence of Juve’s sporting director at the Stadium for the last Champions League match was well justified: Spalletti may have the extra forward he needs to settle a few tough matches between now and the end of the season.