Juventus may need to replace Gonzalo Higuain this summer, and they reportedly have their eyes on a well-rounded Premier League striker.
The Old Lady of Turin will focus on midfielders in the summer 2020 transfer window, as Juventus have eyes on Maurizio Sarri’s protege Jorginho, young Italian star Sandro Tonali, and Barcelona defensive midfielder Arthur Melo as potential upgrades in the middle of the park.
But Juve may also need to prioritize signing a striker to aid Cristiano Ronaldo and Paulo Dybala in the attack. Veteran Gonzalo Higuain may stay in Turin for one more season before moving overseas, or he could sign a deal with River Plate before then. Higuain is on an expiring contract.
According to a report from The Times, via Bianconeri Zone on Twitter, Juventus have identified Wolverhampton striker Raul Jimenez as a potential replacement for Higuain.
Jimenez isn’t as big of a name as Harry Kane or Gabriel Jesus, but those two Premier League superstar strikers will be expensive and nearly impossible to get from their Champions League clubs, especially now.
Meanwhile, Jimenez could be available. Real Madrid were also linked to Jimenez earlier in the transfer window, but it’s difficult seeing them signing the Wolves star.
Juventus could make more sense as a landing spot for Jimenez, but would the cost justify the quality? Jimenez is a talented striker capable of scoring or setting up for teammates, which is crucial when playing with Ronaldo. Ask Karim Benzema.
However, Jimenez is also 29 years old. Juventus aren’t averse to signing older players, seeing as how Higuain is 32. But since Dybala is the only young star in the attack, it would behoove the Bianconeri to engage in a youth movement at the forward positions, just as they are attempting to focus on younger players, such as Arthur and Tonali, in midfield.
Last season, Jimenez scored 13 goals with six assists for Wolves in the Premier League and averaged nearly one goal contribution per game in the Europa League.