Trezeguet set to leave Juve as deal talks falter

UNSETTLED striker David Trezeguet seems set to leave newly-promoted Juventus after revealing his contract negotiations are at a standstill.

The 29-year-old France international, whose contract runs out in 2008, is currently in talks over a new deal, but is deeply dissatisfied with what the Turin club, with whom he has been for seven years, are offering him.

“There is no more hope of staying with Juventus. I feel they have little faith in me,” Trezeguet said. “The offer they have made me tells me everything I need to know. I’ve given my best, just as the club asked me this season, but I feel they have made other choices. Now I am going on holiday and I will wait for a call from the board. It’s up to them to decide what to do with me.”

Trezeguet was one of the few star players to stick with Juve following their demotion to the second division for match-fixing last summer, and helped them win promotion back to Serie A after just one season. However, he scored just 15 goals, a poor return for such a proven striker in a lower division.

Juve CEO Jean-Claude Blanc fired back: “It’s too easy to blame everything on the club. We made David offers in September, October and November, but he didn’t want to sign.

“The time has come to talk about it again, but David has to remember that to wear the Juventus shirt is an honour.”

Luis Figo has agreed a new one-year contract to stay with Inter Milan next season. The Italian champions also revealed Figo would take up a role as an international ambassador for the club when the deal expires in June 2008.

* Hosts and title holders the Netherlands secured a 1-0 win over Israel to kick off the 2007 European U21 Championship finals in Heerenveen last night. Midfielder Hedwiges Maduro, who has 12 caps for the Dutch senior team, put the Netherlands ahead in the 10th minute.