The lawyer’s heir asked to return to the origins: Juve has always won in its history with a core of players who have also represented it in the national team
Spalletti has a new “blue” mission: Elkann wants a more Italian Juve, as per the tradition of the club inherited following the principles introduced by his grandfather, the lawyer Gianni Agnelli. Sometimes fate plays tricks, other times it grants incredible opportunities: for Luciano Spalletti, an experienced football man who has seen a lot but who is evidently still looking for emotions, there could soon be the possibility of connecting two points: so distant, yet close. The Tuscan coach came out badly – in June last year – from his stint with the national team, relieved of his role as coach; but after having looked within himself and accepted the Juve challenge to get them out of the crisis, he is now close to an opportunity that could reconcile him with his recent past. It’s up to him to find the key points of the Italian national team to include them in the new Juve project: easy to say, complicated to do. But this is where all the experience of the Certaldo technician comes in.
back to the origins
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Elkann’s request isn’t even that innovative. It simply takes inspiration from the history of the club, which has always won with a core of Italian players that Juve has regularly shared with the national team. Here, the first reflection on the current squad: there are Italian players, but not all of them are of the level to carve out a space for themselves in the Azzurri group, where at the moment only the Inter block stands out. Access to Coverciano’s chosen players is currently as difficult for Di Gregorio as it is for Perin, even though Juve historically has almost always given its goalkeeper to the national team. On the outfield players the perception does not improve: apart from Cambiaso, the others in the blue group remain in the balance and – this applies to both Gatti and Locatelli – possibly relegated to a role of supporting actors. The picture is completed by Rugani, who is out of the squad (even though Spalletti had called him in his last management in June), and Miretti (looking for a useful dimension to find continuity).
market
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To make the squad more competitive and Italian, Juve must market mainly in the national team group. The theory is quite linear, the practice is not: at Continassa they have to make the numbers work and there is no possibility of carrying out operations that are too onerous. Juve is slowly paving the way for Tonali, but money is needed for him and Newcastle: in July the possibilities could be there following Vlahovic’s exit, but it will also be necessary to sell someone who leads to a capital gain. The other name in the Italian quota is Frattesi, who would like to leave Inter immediately: the Continassa men could deal with him with the exit of McKennie (his contract expires in June). For future needs, Chiesa can also be a marketable name, both in terms of technical level and experience, with the aim of also protecting himself on the risks to be considered in the negotiation for Yildiz’s renewal. Will Juve have to give up their national team goalkeeper again? It’s not said. Di Gregorio has full confidence, but remains in the Premier’s sights; Perin has promised himself to Genoa and Pinsoglio is reflecting on the possibility of retiring. In this scenario, another revolution in the goalkeeping department cannot be ruled out a priori, as can any interest in the current Azzurri goalkeepers.
prospect
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What happens in the national team in the meantime will indicate the way, up to the summer choices close to the World Cup. This is why we must not lose sight of those players who can easily enter the blue squad of the future: like Miretti or those profiles on the launching pad in Serie A who, however, must be intercepted before they end up in the great brawl of the international market (like Calafiori). Already last summer the Continassa men had focused with interest on the trail of Palestra, owned by Atalanta and now on loan to Cagliari. Also worth keeping an eye on is Lipani from Sassuolo, a Genoa school, who has shown good leadership in his first appearances in the top flight and in the Under 21 group. And then pay attention to who could also use the Juventus springboard to make the leap to the national team: Ndour is not happy with the situation he is experiencing at Fiorentina, in Turin they have been monitoring him for years.
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