Legendary Italian manager Fabio Capello weighs in on Juventus summer signing Teun Koopmeiners who has yet to prove his worth in Turin.
The Bianconeri splashed circa 60 million euros (including bonuses) to secure the services of the Dutch midfielder after chasing his signature for almost nine months. The player himself was keen to join the Turin-based giants after spending three wonderful campaigns in Bergamo, but Atalanta weren’t willing to grant any discounts, so the soap opera dragged until the final days of the summer.
In the end, Juventus got their man, but his displays on the pitch haven’t justified the price tag or the hype that accompanied his arrival.
While his manager Thiago Motta has been staunchly defending his performances in recent months, some believe the Italian Brazilian is considering dropping him to the bench for the Champions League clash against PSV Eindhoven on Tuesday, especially after hooking him off the pitch in the second half against Como.
For his part, Capello compares Koopmeiners to his compatriot Patrick Kluivert who also had a torrid run at Milan.
The Dutch striker rose to stardom during his time at Ajax, prompting a transfer to Milanello in the summer of 1997. However, he failed to deliver the goods at San Siro under Capello’s tutelage, so he joined Barcelona in the following summer where he cemented himself as an idol for the Camp Nou crowds.
“He reminds me of Kluivert,” said the 78-year-old manager via IlBianconero.
“He arrived at Milan with great expectations after the years at Ajax, but he struggled to fit in with us. His talent was not in doubt, not by chance, once he left Milan, he repeated himself with goals at Barcelona.”
Juventus fans will be hoping that their summer big summer signing turns the page as soon as possible.
