Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1079163
maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 6 FEBRUARY 2019 21 Juventus closing in on Romero JUVENTUS are closing in on a deal which will see them ac- quire Cristian Romero from Genoa as part of a €30 m pack- age. The 20-year-old defender has emerged as a top target for the Bianconeri in recent times. An aging backline is in need of reinforcement and those in Tu- rin are starting to piece together plans for the future. They have already seen Medhi Benatia depart, with the Mo- rocco international having com- pleted a January switch to Qatari side Al-Duhail. Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci still have plenty of foot- ball left in them, but they cannot go on forever. With that in mind, Juve are looking to ensure that they have suitable successors in place, with Romero fitting the mould as he prepares to finalise a switch to the Allianz Stadium. Genoa had been hoping to gen- erate around €35m from any sale, but a deal which includes a num- ber of bonuses could see a com- promise reached. Once an agreement is pushed through, Juve will then take a de- cision on what do with Romero in the immediate future. He will officially join their books during the summer transfer win- dow, but may not figure for them in 2019-20. One option being considered is to allow the youngster to spend next season back on loan at Genoa. The highly-rated Argentine will then be given a chance to see reg- ular game time while furthering his development. That may be the best option as Juve are also exploring the pos- sibility to luring Matthijs de Ligt away from Ajax. If Juve were to win the race for the Netherlands international, he would slot straight into the first- team fold at the club, meaning regular opportunities for Romero would be limited. De Ligt is only 19 years of age, but is considered to be a ready- made option for anyone prepared to pay the going rate for a player of his obvious potential. Romero, meanwhile, only linked up with Genoa in the summer of 2018 after departing Belgrano in his homeland, but is considered one of the top young defenders in Serie A. Fourteen appearances have been taken in during his time in Italy, with one goal recorded, and his rapid rise to prominence is what has brought him to the at- tention of league champions Juve. ANDY Robertson believes Liver- pool are experiencing no more than a "blip" in their pursuit of the Pre- mier League title and has dismissed suggestions the pressure of being league leaders is starting to tell. The Reds were perhaps fortunate to come away with a 1-1 draw from Monday night's clash with West Ham and the four points they have dropped in their last two games means what could have been a sev- en-point lead over Manchester City is instead only three. At both the London Stadium and in drawing at home to Leicester, Liverpool have struggled for the fluency that had taken them to the top of the table, suggesting they could be at risk of throwing away their advantage, just as they did in losing the title to City five years ago. Robertson believes the loss of the injured Jordan Henderson, Joe Gomez and Trent Alexander- Arnold is having an influence, but feels he and his team-mates are primed to respond. "I wouldn't say nerves are show- ing," the 24-year-old said. "Did anyone say that when City dropped points against (Crystal) Palace and Leicester (in December)? I don't think they did. It's no different for us - people talk about pressure be- cause we've not been in this posi- tion, but it's February. "Everyone needs to relax and try and enjoy the run-in - many other clubs want to be in the position we're in just now. Nerves aren't showing in the changing room. It's been two poor results and poor performances, it happens during a long season. We need to get back to playing the better football we can, but it's nothing to do with nerves. "We're having a wee blip and we need to just try and get over the line in a couple of games. The run-in will be exciting, but it's time to try and enjoy it. "We'd prefer to have a fully-fit squad. City dropped points when they had (Kevin) De Bruyne and Fernandinho missing, then they all came back and they're in a good moment just now. "We've got quite a few injuries and we need to try and get the boys back fit, but we've recruited and have a big enough squad that we should be able to deal with it." Andy Robertson believes Liverpool are experiencing no more than a blip SPORTS FOOTBALL Cristian Romero Andy Robertson in action for Liverpool