With Juventus inching towards a possible treble, the questions shift from “Can Juventus make a deep run in Europe?” to “Can they sustain their European success?”
New additions will be likely to sustain the success. These new additions will come from different circumstances. Some will be from other clubs while others are players Juve either co-own, have sent out to another club on loan, or have a buy-back option on.
To make room for these players, incumbent members of the squad will have to go. Here are a look at some of those players.
Fernando Llorente
The towering Spanish striker has been linked to Liverpool, Arsenal, Tottenham and Atletico Madrid in the past, which should help Juventus find a buyer for a player who has scored only seven goals in 31 appearances (all competitions) this season.
Despite the lack of goals, Llorente still makes sense for any interested Premier League club thanks to his aerial presence. The Premier League is an extremely physical league, and Llorente with his knack for scoring goals with his head, should fit in well.
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.
Rubinho
The veteran keeper has rarely appeared for the Italian giants and may find himself offloaded in the summer transfer window. Juve will likely send Nicola Leali out on other loan spell, but if they want the youngster to get experience with the first team in Turin, Rubinho would be the one to go.
This seems unlikely as the most game-time Leali would receive would be in the Coppa Italia in place of Marco Storari, but it’s a possibility nonetheless.
Paolo De Ceglie
The left back once looked to have a bright future in Turin, but has fallen by the way-side of late. He was due to spend the season on loan at Parma, but was called back in January to provide cover at left back due to Kwadwo Asamoah’s injury.
Another loan spell, if not an outright sale seems like the likeliest of outcomes. At only 28-years-old, he may yet provide value as Juve’s left back if Asamoah moves into the midfield and Patrice Evra retires.
Simone Pepe
Another player who hasn’t gotten the most field time as of late, Pepe has worked his way back from injury, but has yet to receive many full games. He’s gone the full 90 only once this season and other than that has only eclipsed a half hour once. Most of his appearances tend to be 20 minutes or less.
The Italian stands at a bit of a career crossroads. At 31, this may be his last chance to move to a club and be a major contributor. Does he go somewhere else and do that or stay at Juve and fight for a spot? Given the quality of the Old Lady, it would seem Pepe would be destined for a bit-part, bench sparkplug role for the rest of his time in Turin if he isn’t sold.
Whether Roberto Pereyra’s loan is made permanent could play a big role in whether Pepe stays.
Alessandro Matri
Matri was never quite was able to figure it out in Turin the first time around and seems destined to depart the Bianconeri for the second time.
The striker is on loan from Milan (Juve sold him to the Rossoneri in 2013) and has had loan stints with Fiorentina and Genoa before arriving once again in Turin. He was brought in strictly for depth and as such his loan deal remains unlikely to be made permanent. Like Llorente, he’ll need to leave to potentially create space for the likes of Berardi and Zaza and open up more minutes for Kingsley Coman.
Romulo
The midfielder hasn’t played much for Juve due to injury. Because of that, his loan deal may not be made permanent despite a reasonable price.
All stats courtesy of http://www.whoscored.com/ unless otherwise noted.
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