Juve make Mexes a priority

Juventus would like to sign a centre-back in the summer and Roma's Philippe Mexes is their No 1 transfer target.

Fabio Cannavaro has come under a lot of criticism lately and is likely to retire after the World Cup this summer.

His understudy, Lorenzo Ariaudo, isn't ready to step into the captain's shoes while Martin Caceres is a jack-of-all-trades rather than an established stopper.

Tuttosport understands that Roma's tendency to sell one of their key assets every summer could play into Juventus's hands, although Claudio Ranieri is unlikely to sanction the departure of one of his regulars.

Mexes has a contract with the Giallorossi until 2011 and earns €2.4m a season. The Frenchman will either renew his existing deal or leave in the summer.

He is currently being valued at around €12m, considerably more expensive than Juventus's other targets, Leonardo Bonucci and Serdar Tasci. s
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