Allegri dismisses Man United talk

Juventus head coach Massimiliano Allegri has rejected speculation he is ready to take charge of Manchester United. Several newspapers in the UK reported that Allegri is keen on moving to Old Trafford at the end of the season, with the Premier League club seeking a successor to the sacked Jose Mourinho.

Allegri has won domestic doubles in each of his four years in charge of Juve, who are nine points clear at the top of Serie A and among the favourites for this season's Champions League. And the Italian denied claims he is coming to the end of his time in Turin as he prepares for Saturday's home game with Sampdoria.

"I still have a year and a half on my contract," he told reporters at a news conference. "I'm fine here and we're doing important things. Now we are in December and it's better to wait. From here to June there are many games."

Juve dropped points for only the second time this season when they drew 2-2 at Atalanta last time out, the rested Cristiano Ronaldo coming off the bench to head a late leveller after Rodrigo Bentancur's 53rd-minute red card. Allegri's side had kept six clean sheets in a row in Serie A prior to their draw in Bergamo and the coach scoffed at suggestions Juve need reinforcements in the January transfer window.

"I saw a bit of stuff after the match in Bergamo because we drew," Allegri added. "Let's see how we finish tomorrow, but we have 50 points and that's not to be sniffed at.

"I heard that someone said that we are in crisis, but in Bergamo we got an extraordinary result because to play for 45 minutes with 10 men against Atalanta is not easy. Even at the end we also had the chance to win.

"At the moment, after tomorrow's match I do not know how it ends, the team did not make a mistake with 16 wins and two draws. We finished first in the Champions League [group], so when I hear that Juventus is in crisis, I think that the panettone went down the wrong way with someone. But maybe someone was joking..."

Allegri suggested Blaise Matuidi, Medhi Benatia and Federico Bernardeschi could all be available to face Sampdoria, but Mattia Perin will not replace goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny.