Football
Ben Gladwell, Italy correspondent 6y

Dani Alves move to PSG was 'a bolt from the blue' - Juve's Marotta

Juventus general manager Beppe Marotta has said it was a shock to lose Dani Alves to Paris Saint-Germain but felt Leonardo Bonucci's switch to AC Milan was less surprising.

Full-back Alves had previously been linked with Manchester City, but some pundits expressed surprise when Bonucci left.

Marotta told Il Giornale he had already prepared to lose Italy centre-back Bonucci, but denied that the player's clash with coach Massimiliano Allegri had been his motivation.

"I have to say that the coach was not the cause," Marotta said. "We were prepared, though, because in the usual discussions that we had had, we could sense that the player was unhappy."

But Marotta said he had not been prepared for the departure of Alves, adding: "It came like a bolt from the blue.

"He made up his mind and it seemed like he was going to City, then PSG came in. We did have a momentary disagreement because I had to remind him of his professional obligations towards Juventus."

Despite losing key players including Andrea Pirlo, Carlos Tevez, Arturo Vidal and Paul Pogba in recent years, Juve have continued to dominate and Marotta has been given much of the credit.

"It's a challenge," he said. "Obviously on the one hand you need to keep an eye on the economic demands, but on the other hand you always want to get the best possible results on the field.

"We have just missed out on that proverbial cherry on top [the Champions League], but the Scudettos and the two Champions League finals in three years confirm that what we did in the transfer market was right."

And Marotta, who joined Juve in 2010, said he did not feel his work would be done until the club had brought the Champions League trophy to Turin.

"I have not reached the end of the road yet," he said. "There's this challenge of wanting to win the Champions League at all costs, and then I can't see myself at any other club.

"When [president Andrea] Agnelli wants [me to leave], then I can see myself working for the [Italian football] federation."

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