Juventus are preparing fresh contract terms for Angel Di Maria, with the Argentine’s current deal set to expire at the end of the season, according to TyC Sports.
The former Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain forward joined the Bianconeri on a free transfer last summer after signing a one-year deal.
However, the Old Lady want to keep Di Maria longer, and sporting director Gianluca Pessotto has assured that the club will try to reach an agreement with the player.
Di Maria has proved a vital cog in Massimiliano Allegri’s side this season, notching seven goals and six assists in 21 appearances.
Despite being one of the more consistent figures in the Bianconeri squad, the Argentina international’s post-World Cup numbers have not exactly reflected his contributions to the team.
Three goals and two assists in ten games since the World Cup do not tell the whole story, but Di Maria once again demonstrated his quality with a sublime hattrick in last night’s Europa League tie decider against Nantes.
His performance against the Ligue 1 side seems to have done enough to convince the Juventus hierarchy, who are now ready to negotiate terms of a new deal.
“With the beauty of the first goal, we understand that having Di María would be an advantage for all the teams,” Pessotto said after the Europa League draws.
“We hope he can stay. It will be important for him to do well this season as well. It will be important for us to be able to win something important, he can help, we hope Di María does it and stays with us next season.”
Juventus have received a 15-point deduction that dropped Allegri’s men further down the league table.
The Serie A giants, currently 12 points off the top four, are in danger of missing out on a place in next season’s Champions League unless they somehow manage to win the Europa.
It remains to be seen if the 35-year-old who was integral to Argentina’s World Cup triumph last December will be open to penning a new deal.
Juventus will face German side SC Freiburg in the Europa League round of 16.
With success in the competition now a priority for Allegri, the Italian manager will hope key players like Di Maria can stay fit to bolster their push for glory.
