Ante Budimir who last March became Osasuna’s all-time top scorer in La Liga with his 58th strike, finished last season with 21 league goals.
Budimir has bagged 71 goals for Osasuna since he joined from Mallorca in 2020. His prolific record has firmly put him on the radar of leading Spanish sides including Betis, Real Madrid and Real Sociedad.
There’s also been sudden interest from Italian teams AS Roma and Juventus, who have both identified the Croatian international as a back-up center-forward that could be thrown on as a super sub.
Recently appointed Juve head coach Igor Tudor will be planning to strengthen his squad after tackling the cash-rich 2025 FIFA Club World Cup (14 June-13 July).
Classic no9 needed
It appears that certain positions require bolstering. A goalkeeper will be required should Michele Di Gregorio and/or Mattia Perin depart, a couple of defenders, an attacking midfielder, a left winger and a forward.
Strikers Samuel Mbangula and Dusan Vlahovic expected to be sold this summer, plus uncertainty surrounding a loan extension for Paris Saint-Germain’s outcast Kolo Muani.
The Bianconeri are holding out before splashing the cash on such expensive marksmen as Jonathan David or Viktor Gyokeres.
Assured and fearless
Despite Budimir turning 34 next month, he is a natural sharpshooter that fearlessly grabs goals. He was in red-hot form during his 2015/16 season-long loan, helping Crotone win promotion to Serie A with a tally of 16 goals.
Sampdoria snapped him up for €1.8 million (US$2.1m) in June 2016, but he failed to find the back of the net in his 11 outings. After a year at the club he rejoined Crotone on a one-year loan with a conditional obligation to buy.
Budimir was loaned to Mallorce in January 2019, signed for the club six months later but switched to Osasuna. Having notched 38 La Liga goals over the past two seasons, it is no surprise that he is a wanted man.
Potential swap deal
He has a release clause of €8m (US$9.2m) between certain dates with two years remaining on his Osasuna contract. Yet the La Liga club may be open to a part-swap deal, by accepting €3m (US$3.5m) and a player.
This could suit Juventus, as Tudor clearly showed favoritism during his nine-game stint as interim head coach. The fact that both Budimir and Tudor are Croatian could swing a move to Juve over other admirers.
Due to his advancing age, classic no9 Budimir would be deployed as a key substitute by the Bianconeri to potentially turn games and could become Tudor’s savior to tackle the next Serie A campaign.