Juventus GM confirms Howedes interest: 'He is an option'

Juventus is keen to add to its defensive ranks, with general manager Beppe Marotta revealing that the club is looking to Germany for reinforcements.

After discovering which teams await Juventus in the Champions League group stage, Marotta confirmed the Bianconeri are considering a move for versatile Schalke defender Benedikt Howedes.

"We won't deny that we had contacts. Howedes represents an interesting profile, but we still have to work out contractual issues with him and with Schalke 04," Marotta said Thursday, as translated by Football Italia.

"He is an option, perhaps more than just a hypothesis."

Marotta told reporters in attendance that Juve is in the market for a versatile defender capable of being deployed in multiple defensive positions. However, he insisted he's happy with the current makeup of the team and won't make a move unless it's deemed to improve last season's Serie A champion.

"We are still working and I don't like to rule anything out," he said. "The squad is already competitive for our objectives. I don't think there are many opportunities for us, as we will only sign someone if they can raise the quality level of the squad.

"We are looking at some defenders, as we will certainly intervene in that area before the end of the window. If we can find someone eclectic who can play both in the centre of defence and on the flank, that'd be better."

A successful bid for Howedes, who has been capped 44 times by the German national team, is expected to cost the Italian side around €10 million.