After Thiago Motta’s Bianconeri were swept aside by a dominant Atalanta in the race for the Serie A title, former Juve boss Fabio Capello was quick to question some of his decisions in the transfer market.
Juventus now sit 9 points adrift of leaders Internazionale and 6 points behind Atalanta in third place. Bookmakers have all but written off the team who are now 100/1 to win the league. While UK football fans can still explore betting markets for the final position, with competitive odds available at betting sites not on Gamstop, not many would back the team to take the championship.
Capello was quick to mention the loss of Danilo’s experience and Chiesa’s technical ability as key factors for Juve’s poor form this year. However, there are some players being linked with Juventus who could see them turn things around next season.
One possibility could be the return of Federico Chiesa who has found his playing time at Liverpool limited to say the least. He has only featured in 3 Premier League games for a total of 25 minutes, and Liverpool could be looking to offload the winger on loan or permanently. Juventus might be interested in a player who could come in for a reasonable price and that already knows the club setup.
Another player who has been linked with a return to Italy is Newcastle’s Sandro Tonali. The Italian international midfielder moved to England for around £50 million, but a lengthy 10-month ban for breaching betting rules meant he was hardly able to feature for the club.
So far this season he has featured in all but two matches for Newcastle as they scrap it out with Manchester City, Chelsea, and Nottingham Forest for a Champions League spot.
At just 24, he still has his whole career ahead of him, but Newcastle could struggle to hold onto their top assets if they fail to make the Champions League. Players like Anthony Gordon, Bruno Guimaraes, and Alexander Isak have been performing well and attracted a lot of interest, and they could struggle to keep them.
While losing Tonali to Juventus would be a blow, former Aston Villa Douglas Luiz could be made part of the deal and help to soften the blow. A player plus cash deal for Tonali might interest the Toon Army in the Summer, and Tonali would be an ideal signing for Motta’s team.
David Hancko is another name being linked with a move to Juventus after a failed attempt in January. Feyenoord’s Slovakian centre back is attracting a lot of attention, and a return to Italy could be on the cards just four years after leaving Fiorentina.
Of course, the success of any transfers coming in would also hinge on players potentially leaving, and Motta will face a tough task in keeping the players he wants to build his team around.
Champions League football would not only help financially, but would also be key to attracting the type of players that can help Juventus push for the scudetto.
