Loss of Conte will undoubtedly impact on Bianconeri this season…
IN – Luca Marrone (Sassuolo), Patrice Evra (Manchester United), Alvaro Morata (Real Madrid), Kingsley Coman (PSG), Roberto Pereyra (Udinese).
OUT – Federico Peluso (Sassuolo), Fabio Quagliarella (Torino), Mirko Vucinic (Al-Jazira).
Despite winning three consecutive Scudetti, Italian giants Juventus have continued to strengthen this summer as they look to compete in Europe.
While their business in the transfer market has yet to be concluded, it is the loss of their inspirational former coach Antonio Conte which could have the biggest impact on the Bianconeri this season despite Massimiliano Allegri’s ability to steady the ship.
Juve undoubtedly have a talented squad that has dominated in Italy for the past three years and will continue to be competitive, but the difference Conte made with both his tactical decisions as well as his motivational skills should not be underestimated.
Theories continue to circulate over why the Italian tactician opted to leave, but with the club insisting that neither Arturo Vidal nor Paul Pogba will leave whilst bringing in long-term targets such as Patrice Evra and Alvaro Morata, it is clear that the transfer strategy was not the primary reason for his departure.
With Allegri immediately clearing the air with Andrea Pirlo after their fall-out at AC Milan three years ago, things are starting to settle in Turin despite the disappointment of Morata picking up an injury which will keep him sidelined for over a month.
Nevertheless, the young Spanish striker will be a vital part of the squad in the coming years, and along with Fernando Llorente, Carlos Tevez and Sebastian Giovinco, they will be tasked with scoring goals both home and abroad to maintain the Old Lady’s success.
While Kingsley Coman is another intriguing acquisition, the former PSG starlet will hope to follow the lead of Pogba after his arrival on a free transfer from Manchester United, while Roberto Pereyra is also an exciting addition to a squad which isn’t lacking in strength in depth.
However, perhaps the biggest coup this summer for the Bianconeri will be their ability to keep their squad together and hold on to the likes of Vidal and Pogba for another year at least.
Alongside Pirlo, the duo have emerged as two of the best midfielders in Europe and it is unsurprising that interest is high in acquiring their services.
However, Juve have been resolute throughout and insisted that neither would leave, and if they can continue with that mindset until the deadline passes, then this transfer window will have been a significant success as they can continue to depend on one of, if not the best, midfield trios across Europe.
There are suggestions that the club could delve back into the market to cover the loss of Morata, with Romelu Lukaku and Fabio Borini amongst the names linked, as reported by Football Italia, but ultimately Allegri will be delighted with the squad that he has inherited and his focus will now be on ensuring that standards don’t fall under his stewardship with early pressure being asserted from the supporters.
Rating: 7/10.
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