The Bianconeri, who are on the verge of securing Champions League soccer this weekend, are preparing to splash the cash.
Juve sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli, who made mistakes in the transfer window as he pandered to the then head coach Thiago Motta, has constantly drawn up two contrasting lists of transfer targets.
One is highly ambitious and includes a quartet of Manchester United attackers, with his other list concentrating on lesser known players who show immense potential.
Antony, Alejandro Garnacho, Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee are all seen as surplus to requirements at Old Trafford under manager Ruben Amorim. Yet there could soon be a change of heart about Antony and even underperforming Zirkzee.
Costly blank
United missed out on the riches from competing in next season’s Champions League after they were beaten 1-0 in the Europa League final by Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday.
Their tame display against fellow Premier League strugglers, failing to score despite their wealth of attacking talent, means that United will make a sensational clear out. Amorim needs to offload expensive acquisitions in order to finance his summer revamp.
Juve have been long-term admirers of Antony, Hojlund and Zirkzee with Garnacho a more recent interest. Yet the Bianconeri cannot afford all four players, even if striker Dusan Vlahovic is sold and Kolo Muani returns to his parent club Paris Saint-Germain.
Right winger Antony appears to be the least likely United player for Juventus to sign, despite having come close to joining the Turin titans from the Dutch Eredivisie in 2022.
He picked the Premier League instead of Serie A in a much-hyped €95 million (US$108m) deal from Ajax. A modest 12 goals from 96 appearances for United resulted in Antony being loaned out in January to Real Betis.
Lease of life
The whizzy winger has been in explosive form in the Spanish top tier, finding the back of the net eight times and providing five goal assists in 24 appearances.
Under Betis boss Manuel Pellegrini he has become an instant hit with fans courtesy of darting runs, exciting dribbles, incredible pace and of course finding the back of the net.
United may reconsider the future of Antony, the club’s second most expensive player behind former Juventus icon Paul Pogba, who has scored just once in the English top-flight since April 2023.
There’s been plenty of interest from a plethora of top European clubs including Arsenal, AS Roma, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Juventus and Villarreal.
Unhappy hot-shot
Argentina ace Garnacho was unhappy at being handed just a 19-minute cameo role in the Europa League final, and is chewing over his future.
Juve have been actively looking at cut-price left wingers but, if the club seals Champions League soccer at Venezia on Sunday, the 20-year-old could be the expensive alternative.
The Bianconeri only recently started showing serious interest in adding Garnacho to their ranks. He has a long list of admirers, which include Atletico Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Juventus, Napoli and Tottenham.
Antonio Conte’s Scudetto-chasing Napoli tabled a bid of €50m (US$56.75m) in January, which was promptly rejected by United. Should the former Juve manager return to take over the reins at Turin this summer, then Garnacho could soon be unveiled as a Juventus player.
Misfiring strikers
Hojlund has only scored four goals in 31 Premier League appearances this season, yet the Denmark international enjoyed a highly successful year at Atalanta before his move to United in 2023.
The 22-year-old is under the radar at Juventus, Inter Milan and Napoli, although the Serie A sides are all contemplating a cash swap deal rather than an outright purchase for the struggling striker.
Former Juve boss Motta got the best out of Zirkzee at Bologna, before his big-money move to United last summer. The former Bayern Munich player has only notched three Premier League goals in a United jersey.
United are considering sending the misfiring Dutch forward out on loan next term. AC Milan, Atalanta, Bologna, Fiorentina, Juventus, Inter Milan and Napoli are keeping tabs, with Aston Villa the only club outside Italy to show any interest in the 24-year-old.
Without Champions League soccer, this United quartet are just a fanciful dream for Juventus. Victory over relegation-threatened Venezia on Sunday guarantees the club a top four finish and the financial riches of Europe's leading club competition.