Axel Witsel was all set to become a Juventus player on deadline-day but the deal collapsed at the last minute and has left a bitter taste in the mouth. His current club Zenit St Petersburg wanted the 27-year-old Belgian international to renew his contract which expires next summer, but the player refused after interest from a host of clubs across Europe made a summer move look a certainty. Now comes the fall-out with Zenit DG Maxim Mitrofanov declaring that; “It’s the players fault as first he did not want to leave then he changed his mind. Then it was yes, then no and back to yes; we looked for a substitute for him but to no avail”.  

The player has now hit back at these claims and yesterday he wrote on Twitter that; “The longer you wait, the greater the reward” and who reached Turin on the evening of August 30 before undergoing a medical the following day. Wisel told RTBF.be that; “It is a pity as I had already passed the medical and was ready to sign for Juventus. They did everything to try to secure the deal but Zenit has not accepted their €25 million offer, despite the fact I only have another year left on my contract”. When asked if anything may happen in January he replied; “I don’t think so, my contract expires next summer then I will consider my options”.


S.M