Stoke City have stepped up their pursuit to sign Zenit St Petersburg star Axel Witsel, according to claims in the Italian media. The Belgium international could exit the Russian club in the next window, and along with Stoke City the midfielder has been linked with Serie A champions Juventus.
TMW have reported in the last hour Stoke City are set to test Zenit’s resolve by offering Bojan Krkic in a possible deal to bring Witsel to England. It’s claimed the Bojan idea has been presented to Zenit, and coach Mircea Lucescu is giving serious consideration to such a deal, and there is a possibility they could agree to Stoke City’s offer.
With the interest from Juventus the next days will be decisive with regards to the player’s future, and Stoke City will be hoping offering Bojan in the deal will land them the Belgian midfielder.
Witsel has spent the last four seasons with Zenit after joining the club from Benfica. However, the chance to play in a major league like the Premier League or Serie A is likely to result in the player leaving Zenit.
The problem may be Witsel’s desire, with Juventus a more attractive option for the Belgium international.