Juventus keep upping their offers for Sporting Kansas City's Erik Palmer-Brown, but the club still have no plans to sell the young center back to the storied Italian side.
Manager and technical director Peter Vermes confirmed reports of Juventus' continued interest in the 16-year-old Homegrown defender during a conference call with reporters on Saturday, after Sporting stayed unbeaten in the Walt Disney World Pro Soccer Classic with a 3-0 win over Brazilian club Fluminense's U-23 squad.
“They have come back to us twice now – and it has gone up, obviously,” Vermes said. “Hopefully, they're not coming back with the same offer. So it's gone up each time, but it's just not something that we're willing to entertain. I've said this before and I'll say it again. We haven't had the intention to sell the player.”
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Palmer-Brown, a product of Sporting's academy system, turned pro last summer and has not yet featured in a competitive match with the senior squad. He recently returned from a stint with the United States U-18s, recording three full-90 outings in the Copa del Atlantico in Spain.
“We see the potential he has with our club,” Vermes said. “He's been with us since he was 11 years old, and he's been developed so far by us. In doing that, I think he has incredible potential. So at the moment, we've declined all offers.”
Steve Brisendine covers Sporting Kansas City for MLSsoccer.com.
