ASTON VILLA boss Steven Gerrard looks set to make a rare transfer miss after seeing his bid for Rodrigo Bentancur rejected by Juventus.
Villa are reported to have tabled a £20million offer to make the midfielder their fifth signing of the January window.
But Italian media reports Juve officials remain ‘unconvinced’ by the valuation and have said no to the cash.
The Turin outfit are looking to secure a higher price as they owe Bentancur’s old club Boca Juniors 30 per cent of any sale.
The 24-year-old moved to Italy from his boyhood club back in 2017 as part of the deal that took Carlos Teves to Buenos Aires.
Bentancur has made 26 appearances for Juve so far this term and has a contract that runs until June 2024.
Villa have not given up all hope of landing their man amid reports his club have identified two possible replacements in midfield.
Boss Massimiliano Allegri is thought to be eyeing Cagliari’s Nahitan Nandez and Denis Zakaria of Borussia Monchengladbach as potential options.
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Gerrard has been on a recruitment spree this month, bringing in four players so far ahead of Monday’s deadline.
Philippe Coutinho sensationally joined on loan from Barcelona to link up with his old Liverpool team-mate at Villa Park.
Everton full-back Lucas Digne then arrived for £25m before being joined by fellow defender Callum Chambers, who came in from Arsenal on a free.
And Gerrard has brought in keeper Robin Olsen on loan from Roma until the end of the season.
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