Maltese wonderkid Haley Bugeja is close to signing with Juventus, as some of the world’s biggest women’s footballing clubs race for the 17-year-old’s signature.
L Football magazine, an Italian magazine specializing in Italian women’s football, states that Juventus – which won Serie A for the fourth time in a row this season – are very interested in signing Bugeja, who had a scintillating breakout season with Sassuolo this year.
The magazine quotes sources saying that, amidst interest from abroad, Juventus have the upper hand owing to close ties between them and Sassuolo, and state that negotiations are at an advanced stage already.
It is understood that a decision on whether Bugeja would wear the famed black and white jersey immediately in July, or whether she would spend an extra year out on loan at Sassuolo is still yet to be made.
Bugeja signed with Sassuolo at the beginning of the 2020/21 season at the age of 16 from Mgarr United after blitzing every scoring record in Malta, and she concluded her debut season in Italy’s top division with 12 goals in 18 games – making her the team’s top scorer as they finished 4th in the league.
Her performances earned her the award of best young female player in Serie A, and she was also named Malta’s Sportswoman of the Year in 2021.
She was named as one of the top prospects in world women’s football earlier in the season.