Juventus Transformed: January Transfer Window Brings Depth and Balance

Thiago Motta’s Juventus squad has undergone a significant transformation following the January transfer window, emerging with a well-balanced roster that boasts two players for nearly every position. The strategic overhaul marks the end of an era plagued by emergencies and makeshift solutions, providing the coach with 21 outfield players to cover 10 positions.

La Gazzetta dello Sport report how the contrast with the squad that faced challenging away matches in Milan and Birmingham last November with only 15 outfield players is stark. Gone are the days when players like Weah and McKennie were forced to adapt to as many as four different positions throughout the season due to limited options.

Juventus’ transfer activity saw three departures (Danilo, Arthur, and Fagioli) balanced by four arrivals (Alberto Costa, Renato Veiga, Kolo Muani, and Lloyd Kelly). This not only increases the squad size but also replaces fringe players with potential starters, particularly Kolo Muani and either Kelly or Veiga.

Breaking down the squad by position:

Fullbacks: Savona, Alberto Costa, Cambiaso, and Rouhi form a young but promising group, though this area might be considered the thinnest in terms of experience.

Center-backs: Despite Kalulu’s injury, Juventus now has four options (Kalulu, Gatti, Veiga, and Kelly) for two positions.

Midfield: Five players (plus the versatile Adzic) compete for three spots – Locatelli, Thuram, Koopmeiners, Douglas Luiz, and McKennie. While this area might seem slightly understaffed, the players’ versatility compensates for it.

Wingers: A wealth of options with Nico Gonzalez, Conceiçao, Weah, Yildiz, and Mbangula providing five choices for two positions, with some capable of playing as attacking midfielders if needed.

Strikers: The upgrade is most evident here, moving from relying solely on Vlahovic to having Kolo Muani as a high-quality alternative.

This new depth allows Motta to make tactical decisions based on strategy rather than necessity. The era of constant squad emergencies at Juventus appears to have come to an end, with the team now poised to face the remainder of the season with a robust and flexible squad.

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