Three reasons why Bologna won’t buy Joao Mario from Juventus
· Yahoo Sports
After a forgettable six months at Juventus, Joao Mario is finally proving his worth on Italian soil after joining Bologna in February.
The Bianconeri bought the 26-year-old from Porto last summer in an indirect swap deal that saw Alberto Costa move in the opposite direction.
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While Costa managed to lock in a starting role with the Dragao, Mario was only sparingly used by Igor Tudor before being completely taken out of the picture following Luciano Spalletti’s arrival.
Joao Mario finds his form after struggling at Juventus
The Portugal international was thus involved in another exchange deal in the winter. He signed for Bologna on loan, with Emil Holm joining Juventus on loan with an option to buy.
Unfortunately for the Swede, he suffered a serious injury a few weeks following his arrival in Turin, which hampered his momentum. On the other hand, Mario has been delivering the goods in Bologna.
The Porto native has already scored two goals in his nine appearances for the Rossoblu, pipping Nadir Zortea for a starting role.
Vincenzo Italiano now considers him a key piece in his tactical jigsaw thanks to his attacking prowess.
But according to TuttoMercatoWeb, Mario is unlikely to dwell at the Renato Dall’Ara beyond the current campaign.
The source reveals three reasons that could hamper the right-back’s permanent transfer to Bologna.
Why Joao Mario won’t linger at Bologna
First, the agreement with Juventus is a dry loan, and doesn’t include an option to buy. Therefore, the Emilian club would have to negotiate new terms, while the Bianconeri could request a higher figure than the player’s book value (€9 million) following his impressive run in the second half of the season.
Second, the Portuguese player’s yearly net salary at Juventus is €2 million, a figure that is deemed too high for the Dall’Ara outfit.
Finally, Holm is unlikely to seal a permanent transfer to Juventus, so he’s set to return to Bologna, creating an excess of options at right-back. Therefore, Bologna would have to find the Swedish international a new home before trying to re-sign Mario.
Therefore, the Bianconeri might have to find a new buyer for the former Porto man in the summer.