While awaiting clarity on Inter`s definitive attacking setup (with Bonny`s arrival confirmed yesterday), Juventus has initiated a major revolution upfront. The pursuit of prominent, high-profile names signals the club`s determination to address the deficiencies observed during their recent US tour and its ambition to relaunch, moving beyond merely winning against weaker teams.
Kolo, David, and… Osi
We had just begun discussing the potential compatibility of a Kolo Muani-David duo (with David being the first signing of the Comolli era), but now the Osimhen option is strongly back in contention, potentially replacing the Frenchman whose stay in Turin remains uncertain (PSG is only willing to renew his loan with a guarantee of a buy-out next summer). It`s hard not to argue that signing Osimhen would represent a significant upgrade. Technically, the move is beyond doubt: the players` careers and statistics speak for themselves. Osimhen was the architect of Napoli`s miracle season and also scored 37 goals during his loan at Galatasaray; David was highly sought after across Europe, developed in the formative Belgian league before moving to France. His status as a “free agent” was nominal due to required signing bonuses and agent commissions, but his 25 goals and 12 assists at Lille are an excellent calling card.
The Vlahovic Quandary
The only hesitations are linked to economic or squad management issues. The highly problematic Vlahovic situation weighs heavily on the club`s financial sustainability; between his 12 million euro net salary (22.2 million gross) and the remaining amortization costs of around 20 million, his total impact exceeds 42 million. This, of course, is unless a solution is found for the Serb to move elsewhere. Should he remain, unhappy, marginalized, and quick to “like” posts from teams that defeat Juve, Igor Tudor is the right man to intervene. Milan must undertake an equally ambitious revolution, because while it`s true that Scudettos are won with defense, they are certainly lost without great strikers.
Milan Needs a Striker Now
The pairing of Massimiliano Allegri and Igli Tare has demonstrated clear intentions: having decided against Jovic and Abraham (a paradox, as these two delivered derby victories that brought joy to fans) and Morata (another paradox, as the Spaniard fell out with the previous coach but regularly speaks with Max), it`s clear that identifying a striker is one of Milan`s top market priorities. Relying solely on Gimenez is not an option, even if he performs better than the inconsistent player seen for most of last season. Nor can they depend solely on Leao`s contribution (what kind of Leao will it be? The usual inconsistent one or a player finally revitalized by Max`s regime?) and the efforts of Pulisic. Conclusion: they need a better striker than Gimenez and more alternatives on the flanks. Mateo Retegui, a top scorer and the National team`s center-forward, can provide a guaranteed minimum number of goals, although he comes from Atalanta`s expensive setup and was developed under Gasperini`s guidance. But here too, Max will know how to handle the situation.
Juve and Milan Go On The Attack
To summarize: First conclusion, in times of non-unlimited budgets, Juventus and Milan have decided to invest the largest sums, at least for individual players, in attack (and indeed, even the Scudetto-winning Napoli will add a significant striker alongside Lukaku, who still makes a difference in Italy); second conclusion, the choices will be made on reliable prospects. There is no room for gambles.
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