Aquilani pleased with improvement

Midfielder Alberto Aquilani feels he is settling in nicely at Juventus.

The 26-year-old joined Juve on a one-year loan deal from Liverpool this summer.

"The team is gradually improving," said Aquilani to Sky Italia. "The same applies to me and I'm happy.

"Juve is a team that has changed a lot and as I said when I joined them, it will take time for the team to show its true potential."

Aquilani did not take Juve by storm after being benched by coach Luigi Del Neri in the team's first four Serie A games.

"It's not something that I liked but it was the coach's decision," he said. "The fact is that Juve gave me the opportunity to return to Italy and I took that chance.

"It was not an easy decision because Juve have great midfielders and I knew the competition would be tough."

Aquilani enjoyed his second straight start for the Bianconeri in Juve's goalless draw at Inter Milan last weekend.

That game allowed Aquilani to salute his former Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez, now in charge of Inter.

"It was nice to see him (Benitez) again," said Aquilani. "Despite a difficult year for the both of us (at Liverpool), I had a good rapport with him.

"We spoke a little bit about Liverpool."

The 26-year-old Aquilani is keeping up with developments back in Anfield.

Liverpool's board agreed this week to sell the club to US owners of the Boston Red Sox.

"I don't know if the club's sale will help Juve or Liverpool with respect to getting my services back," said Aquilani.

"But whatever happens, the English club has meant a crucial move for my career."

It remains to be seen if Juve will exercise the option to acquire Aquilani on a permanent basis.

The Bianconeri have an option to buy Aquilani at the end of the season for 16million euros.

Aquilani, who cost the Anfield outfit 23 million euros from Roma last summer, is under contract with Liverpool until June 2014.