Lille coach Paulo Fonseca spoke highly of imminent Juventus signing Tiago Djalo, believing the centre back is ‘already ready to help’ the club’s backline.
The 23-year-old Portuguese defender is only a step away from joining the Bianconeri after the terms of a deal with Lille were agreed last week. He will head to Turin in a move worth €3m with €3m in add-ons and the attachment of a 10% future resale clause.
Djalo has not seen action on the pitch since early April, when he suffered a cruciate ligament rupture, but he is in the final stages of his recovery and is expected to be match fit in the coming weeks. His arrival gives Massimiliano Allegri a little more flexibility with his Juventus backline.
Speaking on page 11 of today’s Gazzetta dello Sport, Fonseca first discussed the condition of Djalo following his injury last year.
“He’s been training well with the group for two weeks now, always with good intensity, at the right pace. I think we might need another one or at most two more to see him back on the pitch, ready for the match. Let’s say that he is finally almost ready to return.”
He touched on how much Lille missed the defender after the injury.
“Really, a lot, before he got hurt he was doing really well and he helped us a lot. It’s difficult to find a central defender as fast as Tiago around.”
The Lille coach was asked if Djalo is ready to make an important impression at Juventus.
“I really think so, I think he’s already ready to help the Bianconeri’s defence. Compared to his first Italian adventure, the one he experienced as a very young man at Milan, he has grown a lot as a player and also as a man.
“And now he also has much more experience than before. Plus, he already knows the language, he speaks Italian well. And I think this can help him settle in sooner than expected in a new and important team like Juventus.”
Fonseca spoke about the on-pitch qualities of the defender.
“His main virtue is his speed, he is a very, very quick player, but also good with the ball at his feet, in the build-up phase. He knows how to play simple, in an essential way. And he is also good at defensive positioning. I repeat, however, the quality where he excels above all is speed.”
He was asked about Djalo’s marking qualities.
“He is also good from that point of view, he is someone who knows how to command respect. The thing I like most about him, however, is his simplicity, he never looks for dramatic plays, he always plays clean. He has now acquired the right experience from this point of view too.”
Finally, Fonseca discussed Djalo’s room for improvement.
“Absolutely, he has room for improvement, after all he is only 23 years old. He will need some time to get back to the right rhythm, but for Juventus he can be an excellent defender.”