Genoa set for double swoop: reports

Genoa are close to announcing the loan signings of Juventus striker Amauri and Benfica midfielder Ruben Amorim, according to reports.

In the wake of Alberto Malesani’s departure and former Udinese and former Parma boss Pasquale Marino’s appointment as Genoa manager, club president Enrico Preziosi is now close to wrapping up deals for both the Brazilian-born former Italy forward and the fringe Portugal international.

Tuttomercatoweb are claiming that Amauri will trade Juve for Genoa within the next 24 hours, though details surrounding the transfer remain unknown and a loan deal seems to be the most likely proposal.

Amauri was reportedly targeted ahead of Catania’s Maxi Lopez and Fiorentina’s Alberto Gilardino, ending Genoa’s long drawn-out search for a foil to Rodrigo Palacio.

The 31-year-old has not made an appearance for Juventus this season, having scored seven goals in 11 appearances while on-loan at Parma last campaign.

“Excluding Marco Borriello, who should sign for Juventus, it leaves us with just Gilardino and Amauri – we must choose between two beautiful strikers and I hope that one of them can come,” Preziosi had told Tuttomercatoweb.

Meanwhile, Portuguese newspaper Record reports that midfielder Amorim will join Genoa on loan until the end of the season, with an agreement reportedly in the process of being rubber-stamped.

The 26-year-old joined Benfica in 2008 from Belenenses and has made 62 Liga Sagres appearances for the Lisbon giants, scoring five goals and winning a league title in 2010.

He has one international cap to his name, and replaced Nani in Carlos Queiroz’s 23-man Portugal squad for the 2010 World Cup.

He has made six league appearances for Benfica this season.