Juve head coach Igor Tudor claimed in his pre-match press conference before the club tackle Parma that he has high hopes for the Turin titans, which are beyond finishing in the top four to secure a Champions League berth.
Yet he would need to shore up their defensive vulnerabilities if Juventus are going to become Serie A title contenders. They were fortunate to get away without being badly punished at the FIFA Club World Cup against Al-Alhi FC and Wydad FC.
Manchester City, despite fielding a makeshift starting XI, exposed the Juve defence while it was only the heroics of shotstopper Michele Di Gregorio who prevented a hefty defeat to Real Madrid.
The pre-season games have also seen Juve ride their luck with a dodgy-looking defense. Serie B side AC Reggiana netted a 2-2 draw behind closed doors at Juve’s Continessa training centre, while the Bianconeri’s next three opponents all tasted defeat.
Serie A takes no prisoners when it comes to inept defending, with Tudor surely ready to dip into the transfer market for priority target Jakub Kiwior if he can offload some of his unwanted defenders like Tiago Djalo, Facundo Gonzalez, Lloyd Kelly and Jonas Rouhi.
Tudor claims he is happy with the team
Tudor seemed to put a brave face on when he stated: “I am happy with the team that I have at my disposal. The transfer market is still open, so we will see if there are any new developments in that regard.”
Arsenal center-back Kiwior, who has Serie A experience with Spezia, is on the radar for Juventus but the club will have to be quick as the Poland international is in advanced negotiations with FC Porto over a season-long loan.
Turkish giants Besiktas have made a bid of €3 million (US$3.5m) for Djalo, which is almost half of Juve’s asking prices. Negotiations are ongoing with the Bianconeri keen to cash in as the Portuguese’s contract expires next summer.
La Liga clubs are showing serious interest in Gonzalez, with Espanyol and Rayo Vallecano battling it out to pip Serie A teams Genoa and Parma for the Uruguayian’s signature.
Crystal Palace eye up Kelly
Kelly, who only moved to Turin in February and became a permanent player in July, was surprisingly handed regular playing time during the pre-season matches. His obligatory transfer of Kelly from Newcastle United kicked in on 1 July at the cost of €17.2 million (US$20m), and is being monitored by Crystal Palace.
Rouhi could be back in favor under Tudor, having been elevated from the Juventus Next Gen. Yet the club are open to offers of a season-long loan, with Hellas Verona, Pisa and Sassuolo having made inquiries about his availability this term.
Tudor sticks to his guns about his tactical approach, with three at the back and just one target man. He was toying with a new formation, which was expected to be tested out against Atalanta.
His tried and tested tactics remain, but if results do not go as planned then maybe he will try a more traditional back four and dip into the winter transfer market to save Juve’s season.