Juventus: Assessing the midfield targets for January transfer window

4. Denis Zakaria

Denis Zakaria was a pretty popular figure among his suitors before the knee injury that temporarily halted his development at Borussia Mönchengladbach in 2020. Since recovering from that serious knock, the Swiss may not have seen as much limelight, but, at the age of 24, he still remains an alluring prospect in the eyes of the top European clubs.

Just like Axel Witsel, Zakaria is a versatile midfielder who can play in different midfield positions. Though, he, unlike Witsel, is more of a box-to-box midfielder, who can also act as a destroyer due to his impressive physical attributes. The records from FBRef show that Zakaria is a better carrier of the ball than Witsel and has completed a decent amount of dribbles while moving the ball forward, meaning he could be a replacement for Adrien Rabiot, who has seemingly lost his path at Juventus.

Having logged two goals and one assist from nine appearances in the Bundesliga for Gladbach this season, Zakaria has shown glimpses of his individual brilliance. Despite enjoying a satisfactory campaign, he reportedly won’t sign a new contract with the German outfit. The current situation only suggests that the midfielder will leave Die Fohlen on a free transfer next summer, as his current terms with the club are set to expire in June 2022.

Zakaria is 24 and could be used as a squad player. Joining a club like Juventus would be a step-up for the player as well. But, per the report from Tuttosport (via Football Italia), AS Roma and Borussia Dortmund have also been keeping tabs on the situation. If serious competition for Zakaria’s signature kicks in this January, Juventus might have to back off, as they don’t have the financial muscle to enter any transfer-related fray right now.

How beneficial he could be: 7/10