Juventus Transfers: Why Juve must not sell Dejan Kulusevski
Juventus haven’t allowed him to grow enough, some believe. But when you look at his stats, his numbers are as good as they should be for a 21-year-old. Juventus’ Dejan Kulusevski is a star in the making.
Signed from Atalanta in January 2020, Kulusevski has now become an exciting prospect in Serie A. Considered one of the best in his age group, Kulusevski has made 44 appearances for Juventus this season. Scoring six goals and proving five assists (as per Transfermarkt) so far, he is on a mission of making the most out of his first full season in Turin.
But being talented, Kulusevski has piqued interest from across Europe. He is reportedly a transfer target for many European heavyweights, including Manchester United.
In the red half of Manchester, the need for a right-winger becomes more apparent with every passing season. And they are unlikely to keep their interest within the boundary named Jadon Sancho.
Juventus must reject every offer for Dejan Kulusevski this summer
The move to Juventus indeed came on the back of a stellar season in 2019-20 for Dejan Kulusevski. He racked up 10 goals and 8 assists from 36 matches that season. Juventus fans have not seen or may not see that sort of output from him this season. But when played in the right position, Kulusevski has dazzled and amazed many.
Let’s take the mid-week game against Sassuolo for instance. Starting the game on the left midfield, Kulusevski completed the most key passes (6) in the game. The second on the list was Sassuolo’s Manuel Locatelli, a summer transfer target for the Old Lady, with 3 key passes.
Furthermore, he provided Juve with some more breathing space, how? At the 66th minute of the game, it was his line-breaking pass that found Paulo Dybala. La Joya not only scored his 100th career goal for the Bianconeri but also secured a 3-1 lead in the game. Before that goal, there was the tension of conceding another and an emerging picture of what could have happened — an eventual catastrophe. But Kulusevski’s contribution and, of course, Dybala’s goal restored tranquillity around the park.
Why has Dejan Kulusevski struggled at times?
We have seen Kulusevski making mistakes in pivotal moments and subsequently getting criticised in public for the very reasons.
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His error led Juventus to concede a very sloppy goal in the Derby della Mole last month. At 21, he is still learning his traits on the field. But sometimes, it is down to the manager, this time Andrea Pirlo.
Under Pirlo, the Swede has played in six different positions, per Transfermarkt. And he has looked vulnerable whenever told to exercise his defensive capabilities.
Playing mainly as a winger during his glaring days at Parma, the Stockholm-born attacker has often struggled to steal the ball off a defender’s legs.
Data from Whoscored.com shows that Kulusevski is the one to get dispossessed the most (1.3) per game for Juventus. He ranks 5th in his age group in Serie A. Controlling the ball under pressure, hence, is something he needs to work on going forward.
Or, Andrea Pirlo could use him as an out-and-out winger with less defensive onus upon his shoulders.
Why Juventus must keep him
Apart from being naive while defending, there is not much we could say to defame Kulusevski. He is a decent dribbler, a good shot taker, and possesses a fantastic left-foot. He has a vision of a hawk and finds runners easily with his advanced passing skillset.
Whoscored.com further reveals that Kulusevski, in his age group, has created the most number of key passes per game (1.4) this season in Serie A. However, with four goals and two assists, he might be underperforming in the Italian league. His overall gameplay deserves more contributions. But we believe his patience is getting tested.
Kulusevski is poised to play for Sweden in the forthcoming European Championship this summer. If he is played in his natural position then, the world would see the best of him.
An aspiring talent in Italy, Kulusevski may seem surplus to requirements at times. But his bright days are yet to come. Yes, it is indeed true that Juventus need to pocket transfer funds amid the financial chaos inflicted by the COVID-19 pandemic. And selling some names would help the cause. But Dejan Kulusevski may not be the right player to put into the market.
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Valued now at €45 million by Tansfermarkt, Kulusevski was signed by Juventus as a future prospect. And should they sell him, the effort that the club and coaches have put behind his development would go in vain at the end of the day.