Juventus are under investigation for 42 transfers that took place between 2019 and 2021
Juventus could reportedly be relegated and stripped of their most recent Serie A title for their transfer dealings, according to Italy’s consumer rights watchdog Codacons.
The Old Lady have been accused of fake accounting, with their offices in Turin and Milan raided on Friday (26 November) as part of an ongoing investigation.
Italian police arrived at offices in the respective cities, where they seized documents on information relating to transfers, invoices and financial statements – with the investigation focusing on transfer profits and agent fees between 2019 and 2021.
According to Italian outlet Gazzetta dello Sport, up to 42 transfers are under investigation including deals involving Joao Cancelo, Danilo, Miralem Pjanic and Arthur.
Italian association of consumer rights Codacons believed that Juventus could face significant punishments if they are found guilty.
BREAKING NEWS:
Juventus officially investigated for false accounting!
Their headquarter has been searched by authorities
— Tancredi Palmeri (@tancredipalmeri) November 26, 2021
Codacons president Marco Donzelli told TMW, via Football Italia: “The accusatory system is very serious and throws a sinister light on the last football championships, also because there has been a real Juventus dominance in recent years, which ended in the past year.
“If Juventus were to have illegitimately gained an advantage over rival clubs with operations of this type, then the regularity of the last football championships would fail and, as a consequence, the Federation and the Authority for market competition will have to intervene and sanction those responsible.
“Beyond individual responsibilities, the club will not be exempt from punishment.
“For this reason and to protect thousands of fans, we will present a complaint to the Antitrust and the Federal Prosecutor’s Office asking for the relegation to Serie B for Juventus and the revocation of the last league titles won in the shadow of these potentially illegal operations.”
Six of the club’s officials – including president Andrea Agnelli and vice-president Pavel Nedved – are being investigated.
Former Juve director of football Fabio Paratici, who is now at Tottenham Hotspur, is also under investigation for his involvement.
An inquiry by Italian football watchdog COVISOC and finance regulator Consob into the dealings and profits has already been opened.
Gazzetta : Au total, la brigade financière de la police italienne enquête sur 62 transferts, dont 42 concernent la Juve. L'opération Tongya-Aké (8M) avec l'#OM est concernée : le parquet de Turin la qualifie comme "miroir" (à zéro euro et sans aucun mouvement d'argent). pic.twitter.com/h25xx2jq1S
— GuillaumeMP (@Guillaumemp) November 29, 2021
Juventus – who are Italy’s most successful club with 36 league titles, and are listed on Milan’s stock exchange – released a statement on Saturday.
The statement read: “As necessary, Juventus is collaborating with the investigators and with Consob and is confident that it will clarify every aspect of interest to them, believing that it has operated in compliance with the laws and regulations governing the preparation of financial reports, in compliance with accounting principles and in in line with international football industry practice and market conditions.”
The Old Lady currently find themselves in seventh position in Serie A – 14 points behind league-leaders Napoli.
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