'Aquilani future to be decided next week'

The agent of Alberto Aquilani believes his client's future will be decided next week.

The Italian midfielder spent the past season on loan at Juventus from Liverpool after Roy Hodgson, the former manager at Anfield, thought the 26 year-old surplus to requirement.

Juventus had been expected to hand Aquilani a permanent contract. However, the Turin side failed to exercise their first buy-out option to sign the player, which expired last weekend.

"The percentage that Aquilani will remain at Juve is above 50 per cent," Aquilani's agent Franco Zavaglia told Gazzetta dello Sport, the Italian daily newspaper.

"He has three years left on his contract with Liverpool. I believe that in a couple of days the two clubs will reach an agreement."

Juventus, who have failed to qualify for European football next season after finishing seventh in Serie A, had refused to pay the asking price of £16 million demanded by Liverpool for the player's permanent signature.

However, Zavaglia is confident an agreement will be reached.

"Juve should have paid £16m for the buy-out clause but I don't think there will be any problems regarding the financial aspects," said Zavaglia.

"I believe within the next week everything will be resolved."

Rafael Benítez, Hodgson's predecessor, signed Aquilani for a reported fee of £20m from Roma in 2009.

Source: The Telegraph

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