Juventus Plan Move For Arsenal's Emmanuel Eboue - Report

Juventus are looking at Arsenal defender Emmanuel Eboue as the answer to their right-back questions, according to Tuttosport.

The reports indicates a move is being planned by club directors for the winter transfer market, as Ciro Ferrara has asked for a reliable defender for his right side. Jonathan Zebina has struggled with injury problems, while Zdenek Grygera has found it hard to perform in the coach's new tactical set up.

Ferrara is keen to challenge for the Champions League and the Scudetto and he wants a powerful, pacy and combative right-back who can cope with the demands of top European action. In addition, Eboue can play as a midfielder, allowing Ferrara freedom to work with his players and tactics.

The Ivory Coast international has already been linked with Fiorentina. The Viola had opened up discourse with the Gunners in the summer, but the move didn't happen.
Milan have also had a look at the player, but it is thought that Juventus are in pole position.

Despite the report, though, neither Arsenal nor Juventus have confirmed the claims.

 Goal.com

Gianluigi Buffon: Italy Are Almost There

A much-improved Italy defeated Bulgaria 2-0 in Turin and virtually booked their place in next summer’s World Cup in South Africa.

Marcello Lippi’s men will only need a point to make sure of top spot in Group Eight when they travel to Dublin to face the Republic of Ireland next month.

“Qualification is not mathematical yet, but we have taken an enormous step forward,” Gianluigi Buffon told Rai TV after the encounter.

Italy came under heavy criticism last weekend after a fortunate 2-0 win away to rock-bottom Georgia, a performance that was described in the national press as ‘embarrassing’.

“We wanted to prove we could do better than what we did in the match with Georgia and did well particularly in the first half,” said Buffon who turned in another outstanding display in the win.

Some sections of the press have started referring to the Nazionale as ‘Italjuve’ after Lippi named seven Bianconeri players in his starting XI last evening, but Buffon does not agree.

“No, Italy belongs to everyone,” he concluded.
 
 Goal.com

The squad is nearly complete

Ciro Ferrara will have a practically full squad for the training session scheduled this afternoon at 18:00hrs, two days before the away match against Lazio in Rome on Saturday night at 20:45hrs. Nearly all the internationals will be back, excluding Felipe Melo and Caceres who are on their way back from South America.

Tomorrow morning will see the last training session before the departure for Rome.