Juve, Chiesa sold to raise cash?

Chiesa’s long march towards Juve began on the day of his debut in Serie A: on 20 August 2016, on the first day of the championship, naturally against Juve, almost a sign of destiny that makes him predestined (in White black). Paolo Sousa in fact puts his trust in the 18-year-old ex Primavera son of art and starts him in Turin against Max Allegri’s Juve. For the record, Fiorentina will lose 2-1. His first goal will come in the Europa League, then Juve officially becomes his central field from 5 October 2020, in an anomalous summer transfer market session at the time of Covid. The formula is that of a two-year loan with an obligation to buy subject to a series of clauses: in the end he will join Juventus for 55 million and a contract until 2025 worth five million net a year.

From Pirlo to Allegri

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Three (almost) complete seasons have therefore passed since his entry to now: in the first he totaled 43 appearances and 14 goals (8 in Serie A, 2 in the Italian cup, 4 in the Champions League), in the second 18 tokens with 4 goals, in the third 31 appearances so far and 3 goals, one per competition (league, Coppa Italia and Europa League). Arrived in black and white as Cuadrado’s heir in pectore, in reality he has varied both on the right and on the left, in midfield and in attack. With Pirlo who immediately placed total trust in him, from that debut in the black and white jersey on 5 October, onwards. In Crotone it was an emblematic match for Chiesa: assist (for Morata) and expulsion, that is, a mixture that already then appeared inseparable between vision of the game, running, technical qualities and enthusiasm. History then proved Pirlo right: Chiesa scored 14 goals and 10 assists in all competitions this season. Not since the time of Pavel Nedved has a full-back at Juve scored double figures in both goals scored and winning passes served: a fundamental contribution in the final fourth place (at 78) and in the two trophies added to the Juventus showcase (Cup Italy and Super Cup). And the summer will continue for Chiesa on triumphal notes, with the victory of the European Championship with Mancini.

Uphill start

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Speaking of enthusiasm, it is perhaps this characteristic that prevented Chiesa from entering Allegri’s list of favorites right from the start. With whom, however, even temperamentally, a great feeling has never exploded. At the beginning, the coach from Livorno saw in him a young offshoot to dose and grow, as if the season with Pirlo and the summer with Mancini had gone completely unnoticed. Then the conversion to the Chiesa style, with an attempt to tame at least its excesses (athletic, zealous, often anarchic racing): a transformation that was succeeding, albeit between a few breaks and a few injuries, but which was brusquely interrupted by that bloody contact with Smalling at the Olimpico, in January 2022. Anterior cruciate ligament injury, surgery and a stop which from the expected 6 months was extended to 9 months, until his return to the field on November 2, in the Champions League match against PSG. Since then, moments of optimism have alternated with others of fear, growth spurts with normal breaks after such a long and complex injury.

From the knockout to the return

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A recovery process – that of Chiesa – which had to be grafted onto a very complicated season for Juve, with the team therefore unable to accommodate his gradual return to professional football, but which instead also asked him for some overtime, in terms playing time and adaptation to different roles, not always appropriate to his characteristics and his condition. But Chiesa has never shirked his duty as a team, because his ethics and his innate, often providential enthusiasm oblige him to do so. With one exception to the rule: that “nooo” accompanied by evident disappointment at the recall to the bench in the 83rd minute of Juve-Fiorentina, the first time of the trident of wonders. Until his first post-injury goal in the league, the one that passed completely on the sly because he didn’t even manage to water down the disastrous, unfortunate defeat at Empoli.

And now?

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And now? Although Chiesa has all the characteristics – technical and behavioral – to be a fundamental piece in the Juve to come, he now seems to be among those who are suspended, even if the long stop has removed him from the radar of the transfer market. Without the Champions League, some sacrifices seem indispensable at Juve, and therefore Chiesa is not on the list of untouchables, as is his friend-colleague Vlahovic, who has already attracted a lot of attention, especially in the Premier League. How will it end? We’ll have to wait for the next episodes to find out.