Giuseppe Marotta said there has been “nothing concrete” from Chelsea and AC Milan regarding Gonzalo Higuain, though the Juventus chief executive admitted the striker could be sold following the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo.
Goal understands the Serie A champions are prioritising the sale of the Argentine striker and are hoping to get around £58m ($76m) for him after his two seasons in Turin.
Higuain has been linked with a reunion with former Napoli boss Maurizio Sarri at Premier League side Chelsea, while the Argentina international’s name has emerged as a possible makeweight in a deal for AC Milan defender Leonardo Bonucci.
Juve and Milan have already held talks over a potential swap, but Chelsea will have the advantage in talks if they advance on their interests due to Sarri’s relationship with the forward.
Marotta, meanwhile, revealed the Serie A champions are weighing up their options after Ronaldo’s high-profile arrival from Real Madrid left Juve inundated with attackers.
“I won’t deny that with the addition of Cristiano Ronaldo we’ve got a quality attacking department that’s a bit crowded,” Marotta told Sky Italia.
“We’ll evaluate things with Higuain, but nothing concrete has arrived from Chelsea and Milan.
“He is still an important player for us. Now obviously there is more competition, but he is a professional and we are evaluating his future together with his representatives. We have great respect for him.”
And talk of Bonucci making a possible return was no surprise for Marotta, who has already spoken to the defender.
“All this was born simply because we met Leonardo, who had just settled in at Milan and we exchanged opinions on the football he was playing there,” he added.
“On this occasion he informed us of the great respect Bonucci still has towards Juventus and I perceived the desire for a reunion. It stopped there.”
Although they may be set to lose one star striker, CEO Marotta says the Bianconeri are aiming for the biggest prize on offer this season.
“With the arrival of Cristiano we want to do well in the Champions League, with the hope that he and his team-mates can give us this great satisfaction.”
Juve are seriously considering bringing back the 31-year-old defender, with Bonucci having left the Serie A champions just one year ago amidst claims that he had fallen out with coach Max Allegri.
Higuain, who is likely to be moved on following Juventus’s stunning signing of Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo, could head in the other direction, and Goal understands initial talks between both clubs have taken place.
New Milan general manager Leonardo and Juve CEO Beppe Marotta were in conversation over the incredible swap deal on Monday, although discussions are still at an early stage.
Juve have, however, sounded out Bonucci’s agent Alessandro Lucci, who has given positive feedback over the likelihood that the centre-back would be interested in a return to Turin.
Reports have suggested that the likes of Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United are also interested in Bonucci, who made 51 appearances in all competitions for Milan in the 2017-18 campaign.
The defender has started to consider his future due to the chaotic ownership situation at San Siro. American hedge fund Elliott Management have repossessed the club after previous owner Yonghong Li failed to make his loan repayments.
The club were initially banned from the Europa League as a result of the chaos but then reinstated on appeal.