£20m Kop flop Aquilani ; I want to stay at Juventus!
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I want to stay at Juventus! £20m Kop flop Aquilani in Liverpool snub
All smiles: Aquilani (centre) wants to stay in Turin, but Juventus are baulking at the £14m asking price
On-loan Liverpool midfielder Alberto Aquilani has expressed his desire to remain at Juventus long term - even though Reds manager Kenny Dalglish suggested he could stay on at Anfield.
The 26-year-old lasted just one injury-troubled season on Merseyside after his £20million move from Roma.
He started to show glimpses of his true form towards the end of the 2009-10 campaign but the departure of Rafael Benitez, the man who brought him to England, effectively sealed his fate.
Tough spell: Aquilani struggled during his time on Anfield
Benitez's successor Roy Hodgson ushered the Italy international out on loan after just two pre-season friendlies and a couple of substitute appearances in a Europa League qualifier.
Dalglish, however, is an admirer of the midfielder's talents and said: 'He could be coming back to play for Liverpool. He could be a valuable asset here next season.'
Aquilani though seems intent on remaining in his homeland, although with Juventus apparently unwilling to pay the £14million fee agreed at the outset of his loan deal, his future remains unclear.
'My situation is simple. It all depends on Juventus - if they want to, (they can) buy me without asking anyone's opinion,' Aquilani told Gazzetta dello Sport.
'I would like to stay in Turin for a long time and win a lot. 'I want to be a protagonist in the new winning cycle that is opening up at Juventus.
'I have no doubt that Juve's project is a winner, they just need a little patience.'
Aquilani also feels, after 29 Serie A appearances for Juventus, that he has finally shaken off his injury-prone reputation.
'I played with great continuity, without any particular problems,' he added. 'I finally removed the tag of me always being injured. I knew I was healthy, that I was just unlucky in the past, but in football people just want to label someone.'