With a fairly straightforward Champions League group phase to tackle, at least on paper, the ambitious Turin titans have set their sights on bolstering their backline in the winter.
Notable names on Juve’s shortlist include defenders Leonardo Balerdi (Olympique Marseille), Dodo (Fiorentina), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Noussair Mazraoui (Manchester United) and Nahuel Molina (Atletico Madrid), plus midfield ace Dani Ceballos (Real Madrid).
The Bianconeri are ready to reignite interest in right-back/right wing-back Molina and midfielder Ceballos.
Juventus were keen on luring Molina before he signed for the Spanish giants in 2022, and he promptly won the FIFA World Cup with Argentina.
Molina is a regular starter at Atletico, but there’s stiff competition at right-back with Marcos Llorente and Marc Pubill.
Molina could fill void from summer exits
Seen as a replacement for Juve’s summer departures of Alberto Costa and Timothy Weah, Molina has played more than 50 internationals.
Although he has been involved in over 80 games for the La Liga side, manager Diego Simeone placed 28-year-old Molina on the list of possible summer exits from the Colchonero.
Molina’s ability to switch from offensive depth to defensive solidity, along with Serie A experience at Udinese, ticks all of the boxes for Tudor to strengthen his defense.
Juve's long-term midfield issues
Midfield was an issue last term and at the start of pre-season for Juventus. Bringing in Ceballos, who does not always get to show his attacking prowess because of the clutch of competition at the Bernabeu, would add steel to Juve’s middle.
The 29-year-old central midfielder, who can also be implemented down the left wing, was placed on the summer transfer list when Xabi Alonso replaced Carlo Ancellotti as Real head coach.
Ceballos turned out for 41 matches last season, but only played a bit-part role as a substitute in their four Club World Cup games.
The Spanish-based targets both appear to be an ideal fit for Tudor’s tactical approach. Whether they will get the opportunity to become an immediate asset remains to be seen, as Juventus were not exactly pulling out all of the stops during the summer transfer window.