Empoli are in no mood to sell Liverpool and Juventus linked attacking midfielder Riccardo Saponara in the winter transfer window.
The 23-year-old Italian has been instrumental to Empoli’s steady start to the season and has already notched up four goals and three assists in nine Serie A appearances for the club this term.
His performances have attracted attention from some of the heavyweights clubs in Europe and there is speculation that Juventus and Liverpool are plotting to snare him away from Empoli in January.
The Bianconeri are known for attracting the best Italian talents and are said to be keen to take Saponara to Turin in the winter transfer window, but Empoli are determined to keep hold off the player at least until the summer.
Marcello Carli, the club’ sporting director, has stressed that they not going to sell one of their most influential players in the middle of the season.
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When asked whether they are ready to talk to Juventus in January about Saponara, Carli told Italian outlet Calcio Mercato: “No. Juventus are aware they we won’t sell Saponara in January.
“We won’t sell anyone during the winter transfer window.”
When asked specifically about the interest shown in the playmaker by Liverpool, the Empoli sporting director said: “The player has the ability to succeed abroad, because of his unquestionable talent.
“But we are very clear about this, which is that we are not talking to anyone about him.
“We want to achieve a miracle by surviving relegation and you know that it would become difficult without our best players.”
Empoli are currently 13th in the league table on 14 points, three points clear of the relegation zone.
