Juventus could ask Southampton to extend midfielder Carlos Alcaraz’s loan into next season before making a decision on whether to make his transfer a permanent one, according to Sport Witness.
The 21-year-old joined the Italian giants on a temporary basis until the end of the season in January. The deal was said to include an option to buy worth over £40 million, which would represent a significant profit on the reported £12 million the Saints paid Racing Club in 2023.
The Argentine youngster was a key part of Russell Martin’s squad during the first half of the campaign. However, by Christmas he had dropped to the bench and was forced to play a bit-part role as speculation surrounding his future continued. He then completed his move to Turin at the end of January but has struggled for game time.
He picked up a hamstring injury at the beginning of last month which has forced him to miss the last three Serie A fixtures, although made his return as a late substitute in the Coppa Italia win over Lazio earlier this week.
According to Gazzetta dello Sport, via Sport Witness, Juventus are unlikely to be willing to pay Southampton’s asking price which was agreed as part of his loan deal. It is said that his future at the two-time European champions ‘hangs in the balance’, although his performances will be monitored between now and the end of the season before a decision is made. Furthermore, proposing an additional loan spell next season has not been ruled out.
Max Allegri’s side currently sit third in Serie A, 20 points behind leaders Inter Milan. Focus will be on securing a place in next season’s Champions League, where they hold a seven point lead over fifth-placed Roma.
Alcaraz is said to be keen on remaining with the Old Lady, but it appears as if he could return to St Mary’s this summer as negotiations continue between the two clubs.
Writer’s View
It’s fair to say that Alcarez’s move to Juventus hasn’t gone to plan so far. Four months was always going to be a short period of time to assess the player before paying out big money, so it is understandable that they may ask for more time.
Southampton may have other ideas though. Should a second loan spell be proposed by the Italian’s, the Saints may decide that they will benefit from keeping a player of his ability themselves. However, this is only likely to be the case should they secure promotion to the Premier League. The versatile midfielder is under contract until 2028, so there is no reason for the Championship side to negotiate anything lower than what has already been agreed.
