Allegri promises competitive Juventus as Higuain exit talk persists

Massimiliano Allegri assured Juventus' squad will remain as competitive as ever this season, despite suggestions Gonzalo Higuain could leave the club.

Higuain has been linked with AC Milan and a reunion with his former Napoli boss Maurizio Sarri at Chelsea following the arrival of five-time Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo in Turin.

The striker's agent is reportedly due to meet Milan technical director Leonardo on Monday over an €18million loan deal, which would include a purchase option of €36m.

Allegri stated the 30-year-old's future is not is in hands and added he was unable to comment on potential transfer dealings until getting his entire squad together after their tour of the United States.

"I am not in charge of the transfer market, that is up to the club," the Juve boss told a news conference in Atlanta ahead of their match against the MLS All-Stars on Wednesday.

"I don't even have a [senior] striker here, so let's see [about transfers] because we still have to return to Italy.

"When the market closes on the 17th [of August] the Juventus squad will be as competitive as ever. The club has worked very well and after this week of work we will go back.

"After that, we'll take stock of the window, which will be an excellent one regardless of what happens next."

Juve are without the likes of Ronaldo, Higuain, Paulo Dybala, Juan Cuadrado and Douglas Costa in the US, but their World Cup participants met up to train on Monday.

Dybala posted a photo of his first meeting with Ronaldo on Instagram and added the caption: "Holidays finished: ready and determined to go back to work with a smile!"