Di Gregorio Leaves Juventus for Ambitious Bournemouth Move
Michele Di Gregorio has wasted no time drawing a line under his Juventus spell. The goalkeeper has scrubbed almost every trace of the club from his social media, even as he speaks with obvious enthusiasm about a fresh start at AFC Bournemouth.
After two seasons in Turin, Di Gregorio has joined Bournemouth on a season-long loan with an option to buy. The deal could reach around €14 million including bonuses, a significant outlay for a club embarking on its first European campaign.
“I feel good, I feel happy, I'm very pleased to be here,” he said in his first interview with the club. The words were simple, but the message was clear: this is a move he wanted.
He talked up what he found on the south coast straight away.
“I felt the club's strong desire to bring me here and I felt the club's ambition to continue growing and achieving great things. It's the first European experience for this club and I want to help out and hope to have a fantastic season.”
The step is as much about stage as it is about status. For Di Gregorio, the Premier League represents the pinnacle.
“The Premier League is definitely the best league in the world. For me, it's an honour to be here and play in it and to be involved in matches at the highest level, I can't wait to get started.”
Kelly’s advice and a clean break
Before committing to Bournemouth, Di Gregorio turned to a familiar voice. Lloyd Kelly, his former Juventus teammate, spent five years at the Vitality Stadium before heading to Serie A, and his verdict on life on the south coast carried weight.
“I spoke with (Lloyd) Kelly, I asked him because he'd already been here and he spoke very well of the club, the city and the life here. He recommended this move to me,” Di Gregorio revealed.
“I also had the chance to speak with him about the Premier League and he told me it's a fantastic league where the games are always open and it's truly the best in the world.”
If Kelly helped open the door, Di Gregorio’s own decision to strip Juventus from his online presence slammed another one shut. The digital clean-up underlines how abruptly his time in Turin has ended, after a run of errors and shaky displays late last season left many supporters unconvinced.
Backed by Europe, tested in England
On the pitch, Di Gregorio is backing his strengths to carry him through the jump to English football.
“I believe I'm a very strong, reactive goalkeeper. Being here and testing myself in this league where there are lots of top goalkeepers will help further my development,” he said.
He pointed to his Champions League experience with Juventus as a key part of his growth.
“Being at Juventus over the last two years allowed me to grow to a European level having played in the Champions League for the last two years. I believe that will serve me well and help me to help the team.”
While Di Gregorio settles into life at Bournemouth, Juventus have already moved on. The club has brought in Guglielmo Vicario from Tottenham Hotspur, also on loan with an option to buy. Among many fans, the feeling is that the Bianconeri have “upgraded” in goal.
Bournemouth, though, are betting that a goalkeeper with something to prove, Champions League minutes behind him and a point to make to his former club, is exactly the kind of edge they need for a season that will test them on new European ground.
