IN (9): Marco Motta (Roma), Leonardo Bonucci (Bari), Simon Kjaer (Palermo), Domenico Criscito (Genoa), Milos Krasic (CSKA Moscow), Antonio Candreva (Livorno), Juan Manuel Vargas (Fiorentina), Robinho (Manchester City), Giampaolo Pazzini (Sampdoria)
OUT (13): Zdenek Grygera, Nicola Legrottaglie, Fabio Grosso, Cristian Molinaro, Hasan Salihamidizc, Christian Poulsen, Sergio Almiron, Tiago, Felipe Melo, Diego, David Trezeguet, Amauri, Michele Paolucci
LOANS IN (1): Martin Caceres
LOANS OUT (1): Sebastian Giovinco
Buffon
Motta/Bonucci – Kjaer – Chiellini - Criscito
Krasic – Marchisio – Banega - Vargas
Pazzini/Iaquinta - Robinho
Nieźle to by wyglądało

Expectations were high going into the 2009/10 campaign after what originally had been deemed a productive summer where there was a big outlay on Diego, Felipe Melo, Fabio Cannavaro, Fabio Grosso (and Martin Caceres).
However, despite all becoming first team regulars, none of these five newboys impressed, with Diego, Felipe Melo and Grosso being branded ‘flops’. This culminated in a disastrous season, and even the half-term sacking of coach Ciro Ferrara for interim boss Alberto Zaccheroni solved no problems as Juventus ended the campaign trophyless in seventh place, thus failing to qualify for the Champions League.
Changes to the hierarchy have been made in an attempt to get Juve back on track. Andrea Agnelli has been named the club’s new president, while Sampdoria duo Luigi Del Neri and Giuseppe Marotta have been appointed as coach and general manager respectively after leading the Blucerchiati to fourth place in 2009/10.
The latter duo will chiefly be in charge of signing players. In deciding who Juventus should buy, it must be stressed that my choices below are designed to fit into Del Neri’s preferred 4-4-2 system. As a result, it would make no sense, for example, championing a traditional trequartista because he would not suit the formation.
It must also be recognised that we have to be realistic below. Juventus have a lot of rebuilding to do, and Rome wasn’t built in one day. While big strides forward can be made, the strength of depth in some departments – for example the defence – may still not be as strong as desired.
GoalkeepersNo additions required here, despite the fact that No.1
Gianluigi Buffon has endured some injury problems in the past few seasons. It is vital Juventus construct a strong backbone. In
Alexander Manninger, the Bianconeri possess one of the best backup shot-stoppers in the world.
DefenceJuventus’ backline struggled terribly last season, conceding a whopping 56 goals – more than relegated Atalanta. This department requires a massive overhaul.
Zdenek Grygera, Nicola Legrottaglie, Fabio Grosso and Cristian Molinaro should all be sold, which would raise around €10-15 million. Money must not be wasted on
Martin Caceres, who can stay on-loan or return to Barcelona.
Fabio Cannavaro renewing for one further year as an experienced back-up would not be a bad idea.
The defence must then be built around the rock that is
Giorgio Chiellini. Two centre backs, a right back and at least one left back will need to be signed. The perfect partner for Chiellini is Palermo’s
Simon Kjaer, who will add the right sided elegance to Chiellini’s left sided brute.
At right back,
Marco Motta is out-of-favour with Claudio Ranieri and could be acquired relatively cheaply, while Bari’s
Leonardo Bonucci would be perfect as he excels both on the right and in the centre, and can even ‘do a job’ on the left. Finally, there is no need to spend a fortune on a left back when Juventus already co-own
Domenico Criscito. The cost of bringing the 23-year-old back could be eliminated by sending a couple of players the other way such as the currently joint-owned Raffaele Palladino.
In effect, Juventus could wheel and deal the above players in and out, and only have a net transfer spend of €10m.
MidfieldThe midfield is a tricky area to analyse. In terms of personnel, one could argue that Juventus have one of the strongest midfield departments in Europe, but for one reason or another the centre third was a disaster last campaign. As explained earlier, players need to be signed to fit Del Neri’s 4-4-2. This will require four natural widemen – two on each side – and four centre midfielders of which one or two must have some passing ability.
The first player who must be sold is
Diego (unless Del Neri believes he can reinvent him into a support striker). The Brazilian’s ability is not in question despite his miserable campaign, and he could potentially fetch a figure of €30m from Manchester City. Offloading deadwood
Hasan Salihamidizc, Christian Poulsen, Sergio Almiron, Tiago, and one of the incompatible
Felipe Melo or Momo Sissoko, could raise a further €25m or so. As Del Neri likes to play fast-flowing football, it may be best to ditch Melo.
This leaves
Mauro Camoranesi as one of the right midfielders.
Jesus Navas would be a fantastic acquisition, but he may prove difficult due to his allegiance to Sevilla, not to mention his homesickness. A more realistic alternative could be CSKA Moscow’s
Milos Krasic, who has some uncanny similarities to the legendary Pavel Nedved and can also occupy the left wing position and even a central role.
On the left,
Juan Manuel Vargas has to be Juventus’ main transfer target after a brilliant season at Fiorentina. The Peruvian comes with the added bonus of being able to draft in at left back in an emergency.
Antonio Candreva’s versatility and flexibility means Juve must make his loan move from relegated Livorno permanent.
At centre midfield Juve already have
Claudio Marchisio and Sissoko, not to mention Camoranesi, Candreva and Krasic who can move inside from the wing. Thus, the signing of one top centre midfielder who can really make the difference should be sought. Napoli’s
Marek Hamsik would be perfect, but he is probably unattainable.
Udinese’s
Gokhan Inler and Kwadwo Asamoah both possess the talent required, but as Juve will be going for a big name – Valencia’s
Ever Banega could be the all-round man for the job. The Argentine – scandalously left out of Diego Maradona’s World Cup squad – has the vision and passing of Xabi Alonso and the tenacity of Javier Mascherano. There are unconfirmed murmurings that Banega has a minimum fee release clause of €10m, but even if this isn’t true then Valencia’s massive debt problems even after the sale of David Villa to Barcelona make such a move a realistic possibility.
AttackJuventus’ frontline was an unmitigated catastrophe last season. After 10 years proud service,
David Trezeguet is now too old. The Brazilian-born
Amauri, who scored just five league goals last season, must also be traded along with the inadequate
Michele Paolucci. Despite his unquestionable talent, it would benefit
Sebastian Giovinco to be sent out on loan or a co-ownership arrangement.
It must be made clear to skipper
Alessandro Del Piero that his role in 2010/11 will be as a super-sub to impact games in the last half-an-hour. This leaves Juventus requiring two frontmen – a first striker and a support striker – to complete the four-man attacking quota with
Vincenzo Iaquinta.
As the creative forward, Juve surely can’t look any further than Manchester City’s
Robinho. The English side will certainly accept a cut-price deal for the Brazilian this summer, and with his loan club Santos unable to afford him, the Bianconeri may even be able to snatch him for as little as €15m if they wait until the latter part of the summer and convince Robinho to kick up a fuss. A move to Serie A seems a certainty for the ex-Real Madrid man, as he won’t return to England and Barcelona are now an impossibility following the signing of Villa.
As the goalscoring option, Liverpool’s Fernando Torres would be the dream signing but the Spaniard won’t leave the Reds for a rebuilding club in the Europa League, and Juventus will have already spent too much money elsewhere. Wolfsburg’s
Edin Dzeko, Bari/Udinese’s Barreto, Palermo’s
Edinson Cavani, Cagliari’s Alessandro Matri, and Sampdoria’s
Giampaolo Pazzini have all been touted. A Robinho/Pazzini partnership could work out a treat, with Del Neri and Marotta’s contacts at Sampdoria making a transfer very workable especially if Giovinco was loaned the other way. Most importantly, Diego Milito proved for Inter last term the importance of a clinical striker – Pazzini rarely misses in front of goal.
By
Carlo GarganeseObrona taka jedynie ustępowałaby Interowi w Serie A, chciałbym Kolarova ale ponoć dogadany z Interem.
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