Should Juventus try to sign Manuel Locatelli in January?

Juventus have been linked closely with Sassuolo center midfielder Manuel Locatelli, but would a January swoop be wise for the Bianconeri?

It will take time for Juventus to reach their best under a new manager and with so many new players in the team. Andrea Pirlo has received his fair share of constructive criticism to start the 2020-2021 season, and he certainly has a point to prove after being hired with literally zero coaching experience to speak of.

But the reality is that Pirlo can’t be placed under too fine of a microscope. He is not working with an ideal situation for a strong start. Juventus signed a lot of talented players this summer, such as loanees Weston McKennie, Federico Chiesa, and Alvaro Morata. And all three of those players have shown they could be part of a long-term future in Turin.

Despite the individual quality, there are issues when it comes to the team feeling disjointed. Paulo Dybala is having trouble fitting in with all the changes. The defense has been shambolic without Matthijs de Ligt, with Leonardo Bonucci’s continued struggles playing a major role.

Juventus need to be patient, but since the club has ambitions of winning the Champions League with Cristiano Ronaldo – and his high wages – in the side, they also need to be proactive. And that may mean making a big signing in January if an option becomes available.

Manuel Locatelli has become a hot option for Juventus

Within Serie A, Juve have been linked to two center midfielders who could emerge as high-quality transfer options this January. The first is Udinese’s Rodrigo De Paul and the second Manuel Locatelli of Sassuolo, who has reportedly been requested by Pirlo himself.

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Between the two of them, Locatelli is the most intriguing, since he is still just 22 years old despite emerging as one of the league’s best midfielders.

Whereas De Paul has been a gem for Udinese for years and is their leader, Locatelli has recently made a name for himself as a leader and an all-around midfield ace for Sassuolo, currently second in the league table behind Milan.

Locatelli has two goals this season, but his biggest contributions are defensive. Per WhoScored.com, he is averaging an outstanding 3.1 tackles per game and 1.4 interceptions per game, making him one of the most prolific midfielders in the league defensively.

In fact, only one midfielder in Serie A, Parma’s Juraj Kucka, has more tackles per game than Locatelli (a difference of 0.3), and Locatelli has 1.1 more interceptions per game.

Imagine that sort of quality at the heart of Juve’s defense, combined with Locatelli’s work on the ball and the two goals he’s added. Adrien Rabiot has been excellent and Arthur has shown his quality, but it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that Locatelli would immediately be the Bianconeri’s best midfielder.

Juventus might not have the flexibility to buy Manuel Locatelli in January

Now how about the cost? Locatelli is valued at 30 million euros by Transfermarkt, which makes him seem like a bargain. But you have to remember three things. Firstly, Transfermarkt underestimates the value of young, important players. Secondly, the price for Juve goes up because they are Serie A’s biggest club. And thirdly, if Juve want to make such a signing in January during the middle of the season, they must pay premium.

It’s not a stretch to say that Juventus may have to part ways with at least 40 million euros to sign Locatelli. That would make him cheaper than a summer signing like Houssem Aouar, but Aouar is a better player with more attacking upside. And that makes him more valuable.

Locatelli is reasonably priced, but Juventus aren’t in a situation where they can easily part ways with money. They would love to sign a player of Locatelli’s all-around quality, but they do have good pieces in Rabiot, Arthur, Rodrigo Bentancur, and McKennie.

The problem for Juventus isn’t talented. Their problems are consistency and finding their groove with a system that suits the players. All of. that will come with time, good coaching, trust, and players reaching their fullest in terms of quality and intensity. Locatelli is a wonderful player, but a January signing just doesn’t seem realistic. It seems desperate, if anything, and Juve don’t need to be desperate.