Involvement in next term’s Champions League will offer the Turin titans financial clout, yet without the competition the club will have to cut their cloth accordingly.
Although some ambitious names are being targeted by Juve sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli, failure to secure Champions League soccer could result in him and interim boss Igor Tudor exiting after the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup finals in June and July.
There are potential big bucks to be earned from the Club World Cup, which could dramatically help the finances. Plus there’s a sell-on clause of Dean Huijsen, who has the chance to join Real Madrid following his outstanding season at AFC Bournemouth.
Thiago Motta, after being appointed head coach last June, made sweeping changes at Juventus with a whopping 19 players axed from his squad.
Motta’s decisions were dubious about players he wanted and those that didn’t fit into his plans.
Huijsen was not his only mistake last July, he also allowed striker Moise Kean (Fiorentina) and attacking midfielder Matias Soule (AS Roma) to be sold cheaply. Kean has been in red-hot form with 17 Serie A goals from 30 matches, while Soule has been in impressive form.
Motta brought in some players that have been flops, even since his departure in late March, yet there are four players he lured to the club that will sign for Juventus in July.
Four permanent deals
Goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio, winger Nicolas Gonzalez plus defensive duo Pierre Kalulu and Lloyd Kelly will become permanent Juve players.
Di Gregorio arrived on loan from Monza with an obligation to buy for €14.3 million (US$16m) in July, turning down the opportunity to join Liverpool. His footwork and shotstopping skills earned him the Best Goalkeeper in Serie A accolade last season.
Apart from shipping seven goals in two Serie A games, which signaled the end of Motta at the helm, Di Gregorio has been formidable between the sticks with 13 clean sheets from 31 appearances.
He remains on the radar of Manchester City, while AS Roma and Inter Milan are also monitoring the 27-year-old who is showing the potential to earn his first international call-up for Italy.
Link-up with Vlahovic
Gonzalez came on loan, with an obligation to buy for €28.1m (US$31.5m), with the aim to both score goals and link up with former Fiorentina team-mate Dusan Vlahovic.
The Argentinian has featured in 24 league games, but produced just a couple of strikes and provided two goal assists. The 27-year-old has yet to become a real threat going forward in a Juve jersey, and experienced a disappointing campaign.
With the right head coach, Gonzalez is expected to flourish and at least repeat the feat of his 12-goal 2023/24 campaign at Fiorentina.
Apart from his recent red card against Lazio, Kalulu has been exceptional for the Bianconeri. The 24-year-old center-back was brought in on a season-long loan from AC Milan last August and played in 29 Serie A matches for Juve.
Juventus will exercise the buy option to acquire the French defender on a permanent basis, expected to be a four-year contract, with Milan receiving €14m (US$15.7m) that looks like a real bargain.
Kelly loan conditions
Kelly, a misfit at Newcastle United, was a surprise choice to shore up the backline in February. His conditional obligation to buy is €17.2 (US$19.3m), and so far the 26-year-old seems to be one of Motta’s worst signings.
Originally it was rumoured that the deal included Juventus qualifying for European competition, which means a top six finish. However, it was recently reported that the main criteria for turning it into a permanent move were based on appearances.
The center-back has made 13 appearances, 10 in Serie A, which has been enough to trigger a permanent deal in the summer.
There are other loanees in the Juventus squad whose future has yet to be decided, while the club have shipped out numerous players on loan with many expected back in the summer like defender Daniele Rugani from Ajax.