Arkadiusz Milik may be the most realistic striker for Juventus to target this summer.
Despite the football transfer market being turned on the side of its head by COVID-19, Juventus have already made one major move, sending Miralem Pjanic and (minimal) cash to FC Barcelona for Arthur Melo to finally complete a lengthy transfer saga.
The Old Lady are trying to restore their midfield under Maurizio Sarri, as it’s been the clear weakness of a team that is strong in defense, great in goal, and world-class in its attack with Paulo Dybala and Cristiano Ronaldo.
However, Juve are still trying to make moves to upgrade their attack. Douglas Costa, while still excellent, could be swapped for a younger right winger with less injury history. But the biggest move at the forward positions will be upgrading Gonzalo Higuain, who is getting older and on an expiring contract.
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Juve could have ambitious plans to sign world-class strikers like Erling Haaland, but Napoli star Arkadiusz Milik is an effective, realistic option.
Milik has been linked to the Bianconeri for a few months now, and since Haaland is almost certainly unavailable, Milik looks like the best player who is actually available.
But even though Milik is a relatively affordable option, Juventus, especially in this economy, must be careful not t overpay for him. While the Polish forward is a good player, he isn’t world-class and should not be commanding a high transfer fee.
The Bianconeri can find a suitable swap deal with Napoli, who are also looking to retool their team amidst an uneven Serie A campaign.
According to a report from Radio Kiss Kiss Napoli, via the Bianconeri Zone, Napoli have asked for 25 million euros plus Federico Bernardeschi from the Old Lady.
It’s the classic negotiation tactic of starting with a sky-high price, but there’s no way Juventus should give in to this offer. Milik is more valuable than Bernardeschi, given he’s been more productive and that strikers tend to be more valuable than wingers without a high goal-scoring record. But the gap between them is smaller than 25 million euros, and it should be like the Pjanic and Arthur swap; a small fee that Juve can manageably cover in this new transfer market.
Bernardeschi is expendable and will likely be used in a swap deal for a forward that fits Juve better, and the Bianconeri expect to have to make up some of the difference cash-wise in any swap deal for an upgrade. But they also know Bernardeschi can be a top performer, so he could shine if given a change of scenery and system.
Milik is a striker upgrade worth pursuing, but the Bianconeri have to be careful when negotiating with Napoli, who understand Milik’s value and won’t be easy to bargain with. And that’s especially true for the biggest club in Serie A, Juve.