The Old Lady has been forced back to the drawing board. With one avenue to the African market closing rather abruptly, Juventus are now training their...
The Old Lady has been forced back to the drawing board. With one avenue to the African market closing rather abruptly, Juventus are now training their gaze on the Black Sea coast. The rejection of an offer for a Brentford target has sent sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli scurrying towards a different dossier, one that features a powerhouse from the Ivory Coast currently plying his trade for Trabzonspor.This is not the flashy, headline grabbing move of a Ronaldo or a Pogba. This feels like a return to the old Juventus DNA. The gritty, pragmatic search for talent that can operate in the tight spaces of Serie A. The player in question is no teenage project. He is a senior international, a man built for the physical rigours of the Süper Lig, a league that often mirrors the brutal tactical battles found in Turin. Can he adapt to the slower, more calculated transitional play of Italian football That is the million euro question.What is interesting here is the clear profile Juventus are chasing. They are looking for a runner, a player comfortable on the ball but equally willing to track back and cover ground. After years of being criticised for a static midfield and a lack of pace in wide areas, this pursuit screams of a desire to inject dynamism. The Brentford deal reportedly fell through due to valuation, and now the bianconeri believe they can strike a more favourable agreement with the Turkish outfit. This is shrewd business, or at least it looks it on paper.Of course, any side looking at a player from the Süper Lig must be wary. The league has a reputation for high scoring, chaotic games where defensive discipline can be optional. The test for this Ivory Coast star will be whether he can slot into a structured low block and remain patient when the game is not a frantic end to end affair. But if he can offer that rare combination of power and tactical flexibility, Juventus might just have found the missing piece of the puzzle for the second half of the season. Squeaky bum time is approaching, and Giuntoli knows he needs to get this one right.
