6. Trust the youth
We alluded to this part of the rebuild in the wake of the 4-0 humbling at Stamford Bridge back in November.
On that miserable night, Chelsea’s triumph was spearheaded by Cobham graduates Trevoh Chelobah, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Reece James. For Juventus, late substitute Koni De Winter was the only Juventus academy player to make an appearance.
The Bianconeri have struggled to produce their own crop of talent in the 21st century with stalwart midfielder Claudio Marchisio being a rare anomaly. After him, you could argue that the biggest success story has been Daniele Rugani! Their mistrust in youth aligns with Juve’s short-term focus over the last decade but, similarly, their alteration in transfer policy has coincided with a change in tack regarding their academy talents.
Last summer, the likes Felix Correia, Nicolo Fagioli, Radu Dragusin and Filippo Ranocchia all departed on loan to earn more opportunities at a senior level. Not all have been successes this season, but the proactivity of the club to ensure that some of their youth products garner important senior minutes at primitive stages of their careers has been refreshing to see.
The Bianconeri may not have the most talented academy in Italy, let alone Europe, but their recent crop may well be the most promising they’ve produced in years. Matias Soule, Nicolo Rovella (whom they signed from Genoa), Fagioli and Ranocchia offer hope that a youthful revolution could be possible. It’s down to the club to facilitate their development and integration into Allegri’s first team.
This may be the most challenging, but also the most significant and rewarding part of Juventus’ rebuild. Can the Bianconeri become a force again with their academy leading the way? They’ve certainly started on the right track.