Juventus Transfers: The ideal replacements for Aaron Ramsey, Adrien Rabiot

Juventus will need to make sweeping upgrades to their woeful midfield this coming summer transfer window. That area of the squad has been a problem for some time, which is troubling since Juve’s strength of their best teams was the midfield. Juventini can fondly look back on the achievements of Andrea Pirlo, Claudio Marchisio, and Paul Pogba together.

But now, it is a troublesome area for Juve. This upcoming summer, the club could be prepared to part ways with Aaron Ramsey and Adrien Rabiot. The Bianconeri signed both men as free agents in the 2019 summer transfer window, but neither player has lived up to expectations or, more importantly for the club’s future, their wages.

According to a report from Calciomercato, Juventus are ready to replace Ramsey and Rabiot with two center midfielders in the 2021 summer transfer window in order to comprehensively upgrade their biggest weakness.

Last summer, Juve added Arthur Melo and Weston McKennie. Both young men have played well, with the American even earning a permanent move from FC Schalke 04. More help is needed, though, particularly creatively. A true regista would not hurt either.

Juventus want both Manuel Locatelli and Houssem Aouar

Per Calciomercato, the two replacements Juve have in mind for Rabiot and Ramsey would both be incredible upgrades. They are names familiar to Juventini, as they are seen as the top targets for the club this summer, aside from the highly unrealistic Pogba reunion.

Sassuolo’s Italian regista Manuel Locatelli is the first, while Lyon’s fantastic Frenchman Houssem Aouar is the second name on the list. Aouar would be the more creative, attacking player, while Locatelli would be the well-rounded leader setting the tone and enabling Arthur to focus more on his own strengths in build-up.

A midfield of Arthur, Locatelli, Aouar, McKennie, and Rodrigo Bentancur would be the best in Italy, going from weakness to strength for Juve.

But signing both Locatelli and Aouar? Is that really realistic?

Juventus could stand to save a ton in wages from selling off Ramsey and Rabiot, who could both get decent fees from the Premier League. Especially Rabiot, since he is less injury-prone and is younger. However, Aouar and Locatelli could cost a minimum of 80 million euros combined. Juve can soften that with swaps, using Nicolo Fagioli or, less likely, Mattia De Sciglio to subsidize the cost of both transfers. However, that route does not solve the entire issue.

It is important for Juventus to dream big. They have huge goals and still want to keep Cristiano Ronaldo around for the 2021-2022 season over interest from Real Madrid. So if that is their goal, they must make bold moves. Clearly, they are willing to try.