The Tether CEO purchased eight per cent of Juventus shares last month, and recently posted a mocked-up AI of former Bianconeri favourite Zinedine Zidane alongside fans favourite Alessandro Del Piero.
This was before Igor Tudor was installed as interim head coach, who replaced outgoing boss Thiago Motta who lasted just nine months into his three-year plan of Project Motta.
Visions of grandiose
Ardoino spoke candidly to Italy’s TeleLombardia television station, and admitted: “Zinedine Zidane and Alex Del Piero are the players that I loved the most. Seeing them again within the club infrastructure at Juventus would be something to look forward to.”
He proclaims to be a genuine fan of Juventus, and has ambitious plans for revitalising the Bianconeri that includes bringing in a top-class manager to return the Juve magic.
Ardoino explained: “My slogan is ‘Make Juventus Great Again’. I have been a Juventus fan since birth and, as a company, we [Tether] invested in a football club that at this moment is undervalued.
“We want to participate in the rebirth of the club. We intend to get Juve back to the glories of the past and hope to collaborate in future with the directors.
Tackling the treble
“We are not lacking economic resources and can support the club for 2,000 years to target the treble.
“I am truly very optimistic. I hope that Juve can get into the Champions League and, for next season, I wouldn’t mind [Jose] Mourinho as the coach. I’d love Kylian Mbappe at the club, but we really have to invest in youth.”
Big names brandished
Mbappe is only aged 26, and is regarded as one of the world’s best players. The French international captain plies his trade for Spanish giants Real Madrid, having moved last year from Paris Saint-Germain, and seems a most unlikely signing for Juve.
Zidane made 151 Juventus appearances, leaving for Real Madrid in 2001. He went on to manage the La Liga club, where he was highly successful. Although after he experienced a season without winning a trophy he left, and has not coached since 2021.
Mourinho is a serial winner, currently in charge of Turkish Supa Lig side Fenerbahce. He managed Inter Milan from 2008 to 2010, leading them to a treble of Champions League, Coppa Italia and Serie A silverware during the 2009/10 season.