The agent of a player linked with Liverpool has clarified that their client did not reject Liverpool when choosing to accept another offer.
In early June, Tuttosport’s print edition reported (through Football Italia) that Monza’s goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio declined an offer from Liverpool in favour of joining Juventus.
The 26-year-old’s agent has now explained that Di Gregorio did not outright reject Liverpool bid; rather, he had already committed to moving to Turin and did not want to back out of that agreement.
They told Tuttosport (via Sport Witness): “There was strong interest from the Reds, but I want to underline that it was not a no to Liverpool, but rather the keeping of the word given to Juve.
“We had shaken hands with [Juventus sporting director Cristiano] Giuntoli a few months ago and we wanted to respect the agreement made. For a goalkeeper, Juve represents the top club to play at; history says so.”
If the agent’s account of events is accurate, it casts Di Gregorio in a favorable light, as he is staying true to his initial commitment rather than reneging on an earlier agreement.
This might also be a strategic move by the player’s representatives. By suggesting that the 26-year-old didn’t outright reject Liverpool, they could be keeping the possibility of a future transfer to Anfield open.
If someone had verbally agreed to join Liverpool only to back out when a more attractive offer came along, we’d understandably feel let down, so it’s clear why the Italian goalkeeper chose not to take that route.
Di Gregorio has now joined Juventus on loan from Monza, with a commitment to make the move permanent at the end of the upcoming season. Therefore, he is off Liverpool’s radar for now.
However, if he performs well in Turin and Liverpool need a goalkeeper in the future, he could still be a strong candidate—especially if he matches or comes close to his 2023/24 performance of 14 clean sheets in 33 Serie A games (42.4%) and just 35 goals conceded (1.06 per game).
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