Comments from Pavel Nedved and Max Allegri fuel reports that Juventus are ready to drop Barcelona striker Memphis Depay in favour of Arkadiusz Milik, striking a deal with Olympique Marseille.
The Bianconeri had been expected to go all in for Depay, who will be a free agent when he terminates his contract at Camp Nou by mutual consent.
However, he has still not agreed personal terms with Juventus, amid rumours he has raised his salary demands.
This is only one of the reasons pushing Juve towards a different target, because as vice-president Nedved confirmed this evening to DAZN, Depay is “only one of the names we are evaluating” on the market.
Coach Allegri dropped further hints in his post-match comments to Sky Sport Italia after the 0-0 draw with Sampdoria.
“I can’t play 4-4-2 with the players at my disposal. Dusan Vlahovic and Moise Kean are good at attacking the space, we need someone who can hold up the ball.”
Milik is someone who has long been on Allegri’s and Juve’s wish-lists, ever since he was at Napoli, which is why he was benched for six months by Aurelio De Laurentiis after rejecting a new contract.
They feared he was trying to orchestrate a free transfer to Juventus, so froze the Poland international out until he accepted the move to Olympique Marseille in January 2021.
It was an initial loan for €4m with obligation to buy for a further €8m.
Milik is no longer part of Marseille’s plans and Sky Sport Italia claim this evening that Juventus have agreed a deal to take him on loan for €2m with option to buy for another €8m.
Unlike Depay, Milik would also command a far lower salary and provide very different characteristics that have somewhat been lost since Alvaro Morata returned to Atletico Madrid.
LOL @ Max wanting to play 4-4-2 in 2022
Hope this is far from the truth.. millik instead of depay – what a disaster if it happens.
But nothing can surprise these days
Both would have been poor choices but this is a diminished 7/9 and tier 3 club of Europe. Milik means slow the ball down and long ball ball, hoof it route one Medieval Max style. Depay has a position undefined to the Emperor of slow motion pictures. They have no direction and there solution is to rely on a 34 years youngster who is already in the Flimsey.
@max dino
4-4-2 is by far the best approach, regardless of the age or era in football.
All you Football Manager experts can’t seem to wrap single concepts around your head, thinking 3-2-1-1-2-3 or 4-1-2-3-1-2-4-5 types of formations should be used today since it is “modern” era and football is “evolving”
@gigi
I agree those experts who can play 11 or 12 outfield players are going to be annoyed at only playing 10 in the 442