Juve have been in the goals courtesy of a thumping 5-0 triumph over UAE giants Al-Ain FC, despite a tame second-half display in their FIFA Club World Cup opener.
Sporting Lisbon’s Viktor Gyokeres has been the club’s main target to fill the boots of Dusan Vlahovic, who appears eager to make a summer shift from the Bianconeri’s 2025/26 campaign that offer Champions League soccer.
If Swedish star Gyokeres cannot be lured to Turin then Jonathan David, who becomes a free agent when his contract at Ligue 1 outfit Lille ends on 30 June, has been set a deadline of mid-July as to whether he wants to join Juventus.
Bargain-priced marksmen
Atalanta attackers Ademola Lookman and Mateo Retegui plus a handful of Manchester United outcasts remain on Juve’s radar as a cheaper option to Canada international David.
In the meantime, Juve are also seeking a cut-price goal-getter with Osasuna veteran Ante Budimir, Sassuolo’s Domenico Berardi, Tottenham Hotspur’s Mikey Moore and Udinese’s Lorenzo Lucca already on their extensive summer wishlist.
US international Ricardo Pepi has become the latest hot-shot to be heavily linked with Juventus, with Fulham also showing serious interest in the 22-year-old striker.
Manager persuasion
Pepi’s goal is to be involved in next year’s FIFA World Cup finals, which will be co-hosted by the United States. That means both Juve head coach Igor Tudor and Fulham manager Marco Silva will need to reassure Pepi that he will get minutes, should he decide to swap clubs.
He was rumored to be joining Juve in 2021, but nothing materialized. The next time the Bianconeri showed interest was to potentially become understudy to Serbia striker Vlahovic.
The Serie A side sent scouts to check out both David and Pepi for September’s friendly international in Kansas. David hit the winner in the 2-1 success, subjecting the US to their first home defeat in Canada in 67 years, with Pepi failing to score.
Texan tied down
Pepi joined PSV Eindhoven two years ago from FC Augsburg for €11 million (US$12.6m), and last February extended his contract with the Dutch Eredivisie giants until 2030.
Texas-born Pepi is used to playing the role of secondary striker, he has been the reserve to PSV icon Luuk de Jong, although will need minutes under his belt in order to be selected for the 2026 World Cup.
He has been sidelined with a knee injury since January, which curtailed his season for both club and country. He is missing from this month’s US squad at the CONCACAF Gold Cup finals.
Eredivisie goal-machine
Having made a significant impact in the Dutch top tier, bagging 11 goals in 18 league appearances last term, it is surprising that only Fulham and Juventus appear to genuine recent admirers with former interest from Real Betis waning.
PSV value Pepi at around €30m (US$30.5m), which seems a bargain deal. He could be lured by Fulham, who have US left-back Antonee Robinson in their ranks.
Pepi could become the third US international at Juve, joining Weston McKennie and Timothy Weah. He is considered as an investment for both the present and future because of his potential to bloom as an understudy.