Recent reports have linked Juventus striker Carlos Tevez with an early return to his old club Boca Juniors. Tevez wants to finish his career with Boca and there is speculation that it’ll happen after his contract expires following next season.
Carlitos has been superb for the Bianconeri this season with 26 goals and eight assists in 27 appearances across all competitions. While he recently “rubbished” those rumors, Juve will need a replacement, especially if they hope to build on their ever-improving European success of this season.
Juve have a star in Alvaro Morata who will be a full-time starter next season, but with Fernando Llorente underperforming and likely to be sold, coupled with Kingsley Coman not being quite ready to log heavy minutes, the team will need someone to step in for Tevez should the Argentine depart.
With bonus money from Juve’s Champions League run coupled with cash from player sales, the Old Lady will have money to spend during the upcoming summer transfer window. If they need to find a replacement for Tevez, here are some options.
Gonzalo Higuain
With Rafa Benitez potentially exiting, Higuain could follow his manager out the door. Reports have linked the former Real Madrid star to Arsenal as well as Juve.
The Argentine has accumulated 23 goals and eight assists in Naples across all competitions, so he obviously has a track record and is comfortable with Serie A.
A pairing of Higuain and Morata would certainly be exciting to watch and would strike fear into the hearts of opposing defenses. The pairing would also give Real Madrid a look at what they’re missing. Los Blancos are obviously better off with Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale, but the new-look Juve attack would show a little of what could have been.
Higuain’s exit coupled with Benitez’, could signal the end of a once-promising era for Napoli. The club invested a heavy amount of cash in the first team, but never overtook Juventus or made much noise in the Champions League. Napoli currently sit in Europa League spot in the standings and it’s not inconceivable that they slip even further. This lack of success could mean the end of Higuain’s time in southern Italy.
Simone Zaza
Zaza was a Juve-owned player until he was sold to Sassuolo where he has gone on to net nine goals in 24 appearances. He also has an assist.
The striker has also opened his scoring account for the national team with a goal for the Azzurri in a European qualifying match against Norway. Juve will have to ward off interest from other interested clubs due to the player’s young age (23) and potential. However, the Bianconeri have a buy-back clause, similar to the situation with Real Madrid and Morata.
Robin van Persie
The Dutch forward has netted ten goals and handed out two assists for Manchester United this season, but could find himself on the way out at the club. Manchester United have long been linked to Dutch attacker Memphis Depay and are bound to be linked to a number of other elite players in a bid to improve the club.
This means that van Persie, along with Javier Hernandez, Nani and Radamel Falcao, could be offloaded to make room.
The Dutchman nearly joined Juve in 2012, but if available at a cut-rate cost, may go through with the move to Turin this time around. He’s been linked to Juve on a free transfer, and while he wouldn’t be the tireless, ground-eating machine that Tevez is, he would score a load of goals, some which would probably be quite spectacular.
Paulo Dybala
Another Argentine, Dybala is one of the more coveted young footballers in European football and looks set to leave Palermo after the current season ends.
The forward has 13 goals and 10 assists in 30 appearances for the Sicilian club. He’s been linked to a who’s who of elite clubs, specifically in the Premier League, and will cost Juve a large sum of cash, likely similar to the total they spent on all of their new arrivals this season.
The question becomes whether the fee is worth it for a largely unproven player, or if Juventus would be better off investing elsewhere. Juve reportedly have a deal in place, but it remains to be seen if this Argentine will move to Turin thanks to interest from a host of other clubs.
Radamel Falcao
Juve have been linked to Falcao before, but the forward never made the move. Similar to Robin van Persie, the Columbian may be available on a cut-rate deal after struggling on loan at Manchester United. Monaco may be willing to distance themselves from the once prolific hit-man and may sell. After all, they did loan him to United before the season despite having Champions League football on the docket.
With Juve and Monaco meeting in the Champions League, the Bianconeri have stepped up their interest once again. Despite the dip in form, Falcao hasn’t turned 30 yet and could have a few good years left in him.
Juventus have had success raiding Manchester for talent in the past with Paul Pogba, Patrice Evra and Tevez all turning around their careers in Turin—is Falcao next?
Domenico Berardi
Similar to Simone Zaza, Berardi is a player currently in a Sassuolo shirt who could be wearing the black and white of Juventus next season. Where he differs from Zaza is that he is actually owned by the Old Lady and wouldn’t require a buy-back fee.
The attacker has 11 goals and six assists for Sassuolo this season and would give Max Allegri the tactical flexibility that is so vital to Juve thanks to his ability to play out wide on the right.
Berardi is only 20, and if he can break into and contribute to Juve’s first team next season, he’ll provide a pillar for the team to build on for the future along with Morata, Pogba and Coman.
Also, excuse the music please…
Edinson Cavani
Edinson Cavani has some rather curious stats. The striker has scored six goals in nine Champions League games, which is a positive and quite the achievement against Europe’s best, but he’s only scored nine times in Ligue 1.
Like many players on this list, he’s been linked with a move away from the French capitol, and Juve have rumored interest. Like Robin van Persie, he may be sold to make room for new additions.
The Uruguayan hasn’t been himself when playing out of position (out wide) for the Parisians, but would nonetheless cost a pretty penny. Pairing him with Morata would be exciting, but Juve must be careful if Tevez sticks around for another year. Morata can’t spend a full season on the bench behind Cavani and Tevez while Cavani can’t continue to toil away on the wing. Needless to say there would be some issues.
Ciro Immobile
This is pure speculation on my part, but Immobile might be a fit back in Serie A. He’s struggled to acclimate to the Bundesliga and may be better suited back in Italy. The World Cup veteran only has three goals in 19 Bundesliga appearances.
Bild: Immobile’s villa is already for sale (buy it today for €1.3m!). Suggests he’s already on his way out the door at BVB
— Clark Whitney (@Mr_Bundesliga) March 26, 2015
With Jurgen Klopp leaving Dortmund and the possibility that Ilkay Gundogan, Mats Hummels and Marco Reus could follow, there could be a lot of change in terms of the German giants’ first team.
Dortmund may be inclined to an offseason rebuild instead of going forward with the same, especially with a new coach. Because of this, and the potential departure of some of their biggest stars, Dortmund may be willing to sell Immobile, especially considering he’s been a flop in the Bundesliga.
All stats courtesy of http://www.whoscored.com/ unless otherwise noted.
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1 comment
[…] His dearth of goals this season may signal his exit while also opening space for a player like Domenico Berardi (who is on loan at Sassuolo) or Simone Zaza (also at Sassuolo, Juve have a buy-back option in the players’ contract). The open spot could also go to an impact striker brought in from the transfer market like Robin van Persie or Paulo Dybala. […]
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