SS Lazio swap plan for Del Piero and Vieri a "fantasy"

Juventus executive Roberto Bettega has dismissed SS Lazio's latest attempt to sign their contract rebel striker Alessandro Del Piero as "fantasy football".

A press conference to confirm the signing of Ajax goalkeeper Edwin Van der Sar was overshadowed by Lazio president Sergio Cragnotti's offer of a swap deal with Juve regarding star Italian striker Christian Vieri and his some time national team partner Alessandro Del Piero.

Juventus know that Del Piero's contract expires next summer and he will be a free agent from the end of this year under the Bosman ruling. Inter, Lazio, and Arsenal all covet Del Piero who refused Juve's pay offer of £2 million over the next five years stay with the Turin club. Del Piero is demanding £5 million and has almost completed his recovery from a knee injury which wrecked his season this year with Juventus.

Bettega dismissed the Vieri offer as a "fantasy" by the Lazio president and said it would not succeed although the Del Piero contract problem looks set to dominate Juve's summer with latest indications suggesting that the layer will stay with Juve until next year on his present deal but allow a New Year contract auction bonanza to make his the highest paid player in the world.

Juventus sold Vieri to Atletico Madrid in 1997 for £12 million before an £18 million move last summer to the capital for the 26 year old.