Juventus Transfers: 5 Euro 2020 stars the Bianconeri could target

Before the start of Euro 2020, we listed five alternative transfer targets for Juventus fans to keep an eye out for throughout the tournament. They were; Nuno Mendes, Marcel Sabitzer, Yusuf Yazici, Sasa Kalajdzic and Donyell Malen.

However, it was only Sabitzer and Malen, in glimpses, who enjoyed campaigns worthy of piquing the Bianconeri’s interest.

Mendes didn’t make a single appearance for Portugal, Yazici was inhibited by the conservatism of Senol Gunes, while Kalajdzic often played second fiddle to Marko Arnautovic for Austria.

So, we thought we’d give this another go but, this time, looking in retrospect. Here are five players who impressed at the Euros and could be viable transfer targets for Juventus.

Ugurcan Cakir (Trabzonspor)

Turkey’s Euro 2020 campaign was nothing short of a disaster, although goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir emerged as a beacon of hope for the future.

The Trabzonspor shot-stopper may have been culpable for Lorenzo Insigne’s strike in the tournament opener following a sloppy error in possession, but he was otherwise superb. Cakir conceded eight times in just three games, but his ‘Goals Prevented Rate’, a metric established by The Analyst and described as the number of goals that a goalkeeper was expected to concede as a proportion of the number of goals they actually conceded (calculated as expected goals on target conceded divided by actual goals conceded) was 1.22, the joint-seventh highest figure at the tournament.

The 25-year-old’s respectable campaign this summer has led to Inter Milan and Wolves taking notice. For Juve, he could be a potential back-up to Wojciech Szczesny, who heads into 2021/22 with something to prove.

Joakim Maehle (Atalanta)

Atalanta have done it again. They’ve unearthed another gem. Joakim Maehle struggled to replicate Hans Hateboer’s output in Bergamo last season, notching just two assists in Serie A, but he enjoyed a Euro campaign worthy of tripling his previous market value.

Unconventionally deployed as a left wing-back (he’s right-footed) in Kasper Hjulmand’s well-balanced 3-4-3, Maehle excelled at both ends of the pitch. The Dane created six chances, scored twice and registered the assist of the tournament with an outrageous outside of the boot cross for a welcoming Kasper Dolberg.

His dynamism allowed him to dominate the flank he occupied, as he embraced Gian Piero Gasperini’s attacking principles to deadly effect.

Regarding his suitability for Juventus, it’s unlikely that Massimiliano Allegri’s default system will facilitate wing-backs, but Maehle proved his competence as part of a back four at Genk. His capacity to play off both flanks could intrigue the pragmatic Allegri.

Renato Sanches (Lille)

We were treated to just 220 minutes of Renato Sanches this summer, but boy did he make the most of his limited action.

In a Portuguese midfield that looked pretty one-paced in their opening two games, Sanches provided a much-needed spark. His cameo off the bench against Hungary was brilliant, while his substitute appearance in the defeat to Germany laid the foundations for starring displays against France and Belgium.

He’s a box-to-box midfielder by nature, but he’s performed plenty of roles during his redemption period at Lille. Nevertheless, Sanches’ press resistance, close control and balance stand out as three notable attributes, allowing him to carry the ball upfield with impressive efficiency.

The 23-year-old is the creative energy source that this Juventus midfield so desperately needs, but Lille will almost certainly demand a hefty fee after he played a key role in Les Dogues’ Ligue 1 success last season.

Mikkel Damsgaard (Sampdoria)

Mikkel Damsgaard’s appreciates and interprets space on a football pitch in a way that only Thomas Muller could rival. He’s a Raumdeuter in the making, but one that also boasts an extensive technical repertoire.

His goals against Russia and England, for example, demonstrate his exemplary ball-striking. Damsgaard’s also adept in tight spaces and capable of unlocking defences via subtle passes in behind.

As I noted, though, it’s off the ball where the 20-year-old shines. He played as an inside forward off the left for Hjulmand this summer, frequently popping up in pockets space between the lines (predominantly in the left half-space) to provide a progressive option and create dilemmas for opposition defences.

Overall, Damsgaard showcased his obvious talent at the Euros and Sampdoria will undoubtedly struggle to keep him on their books beyond the summer. Liverpool and Tottenham have reportedly expressed an interest in the 20-year-old, and Juventus would be wise to join the list.

Patrik Schick (Bayer Leverkusen)

Juventus are said to be keen on bringing in another striker this summer even if Cristiano Ronaldo remains at the club. Alvaro Morata, of course, extended his loan stay in Turin as well.

Gabriel Jesus has been heavily linked with a move to Turin, but Patrik Schick could be an interesting – and cheaper – alternative.

The Czech Republic forward is a technical target man. He’s never been prolific throughout his senior career, scoring 53 goals in 196 senior appearances, but his reputation has certainly been restored following a difficult two-year spell at Roma.

Schick was aided by Julian Nagelsmann’s genius at RB Leipzig, who helped refine his profile and facilitated his blossoming relationship with Timo Werner. He then enjoyed his most productive campaign since 2016/17 at Bayer Leverkusen last season, scoring 13 times in 36 appearances, before netting five times at Euro 2020.

The towering forward is incredibly effective when he has runners beyond him, although he is sneaky athletic himself. Schick can run in behind and drive at defences with menace.

Nevertheless, I’d love to see the dynamic he’d establish with Federico Chiesa at Juve.