Should Juventus consider pursuing Marcelo in the summer?

Juventus have a need emerging on the left-hand side of their attack. Right now, they only have one natural left-footed wide midfielder who can play on the left side of the 4-4-2 commonly deployed by Andrea Pirlo. And that player is Federico Bernardeschi, who may be converting to the left back position.

Outside of Bernardeschi, Juve don’t have much else. Alex Sandro and Gianluca Frabotta are left backs, and they aren’t exactly good ones at that. Federico Chiesa can play on the left, but his ideal position is on the right. We’ve seen Juve use center midfielders Aaron Ramsey and Weston McKennie on the left, but that has never worked out.

So what if Juventus go after a left back and play him higher up the pitch? Robin Gosens should be Juve’s top option, but he could cost 40 million euros. If the Bianocneri want a cheaper option who can still excel, reuniting Cristiano Ronaldo with Marcelo could work out.

We’ve seen Marcelo linked to Juve before, and those links could increase, so long as Juventus can find a way to afford the player’s wages. Also, Real Madrid would have to be willing to sell the Brazilian before the final year of his deal.

Juventus could benefit from moving Marcelo to a more attacking role

That’s where things get interesting. Earlier this season, Marcelo was Real’s biggest liability, struggling against opponents like Cadiz and Shakhtar Donetsk in shocking defeats. He was mistake-prone in a 4-1 loss to Valencia at the Mestalla as well.

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But Marcelo recently thrived in an attacking role in a 2-0 win over Getafe. Zinedine Zidane used the Real Madrid legend as something of a playmaker with a back three. Marcelo was listed as a starter on the left-hand side, but he mostly drifted inside and created copious chances.

Perhaps Marcelo could play that role – or a traditional left-sided attacking role – for Juventus. The Bianconeri could use either contribution, especially if they are able to sell Aaron Ramsey and move his own hefty wages.

Amidst rumblings of Ronaldo’s own discontent with the team and desire to move back to Madrid, Marcelo, his close friend, could potentially help Juventus keep their best player.

We’ve seen how Juan Cuadrado’s crosses from the right and creative brilliance have helped Ronaldo. He is one of the few players who can spot Ronaldo and deliver him the ball. On the left-hand side, the likes of Alex Sandro and Bernardeschi have consistently failed to do this. And many of the midfielders are even worse.

Marcelo’s chemistry with Ronaldo is well-known and could be a big boost to Juve. He could be an affordable acquisition in terms of transfer fee, and he could still be a world-class attacking player due to his football IQ and exquisite technique. A late-career change to an attacking role coupled with a move to Serie A with Ronaldo up top could bring the best out of Marcelo again.

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Juventus might find the path to acquiring him difficult if Real also see the value in keeping him in the squad, but the prospect of the return of the Ronaldo/Marcelo connection could hold some sway. Marcelo is a player to watch for the remainder of the season.

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