Juventus have two of Serie A’s best attacking players in Cristiano Ronaldo and Paulo Dybala, but adding Timo Werner would put the Bianconeri in an elite class of attacking quality in the Champions League.
When Juventus purchased Cristiano Ronaldo from Real Madrid after he won his fourth Champions League title with Los Blancos, the club showed a clear intention to go all-in for a Champions League title. Winning Serie A is no longer enough to satisfy the club’s leadership and its fan base, as adding someone like Ronaldo, whose ambition to succeed is unparalleled in the sport, creates new levels of expectation.
In the shortened 2019-2020 season, Ronaldo was, once again, the Bianconeri’s best player. He scored 21 goals – more than triple Paulo Dybala’s output of seven. Even at the age of 35, Ronaldo is one of the most lethal scoring threats in world football and hasn’t slowed down despite the difficult nature of Serie A.
While Juventus have bigger needs in midfield and already have one of Europe’s best attacking duos in Ronaldo and Dybala, they have reportedly shown interest in RB Leipzig superstar Timo Werner.
According to a report from Sky Sports Italia’s Gianluca Di Marzio, via JuveFC.com, Werner’s agents are in talks with Juve, among other clubs. Werner will likely leave Leipzig soon, and Juve appear to be a landing spot for him, especially if Dybala ends up leaving instead of re-signing.
It’s highly unlikely Juventus let Dybala, whose raw talent is simply phenomenal, go any time soon. But even with Ronaldo and Dybala established, Juve could use a player of Werner’s quality. Plus, Werner, at 24, is younger than Dybala, 26, and more athletic.
Werner is coming off a sensational season under Julian Nagelsmann at Leipzig. The centerpiece of the team, Werner has become a much more well-rounded player, providing seven assists in the Bundesliga. He’s also become even more clinical and dangerous off the ball, leading to an incredible output of 21 goals in the shortened Bundesliga campaign.
With his pace, energy, finishing quality, and versatility, Werner can add a great deal as a dynamic partner to Ronaldo and Dybala. He can provide width that enables Ronaldo to stay central and can pull defenses apart horizontally, enabling Dybala to find more space behind Ronaldo when he drops off centrally.
It’s unclear how much Werner will cost or if Juventus can find an appropriate swap deal in lieu of submitting a cash offer, but Werner would be a fantastic addition to the Old Lady on the strength of his production and athletic traits.
Werner may be a pipe dream for Juve in the current market and may not fill the most pressing need, but if Juventus want to win a Champions League title, they need to make bold moves. Outside of Ronaldo, they don’t have a true superstar player. Werner can be that second superstar for CR7.