Daniele Rugani wouldn’t lack suitors if Juventus made him available, but that probably won’t be the case in January. His agent Davide Torchia took stock.
GENOA, ITALY - MAY 6: Daniele Rugani of Juventus is seen in action during the Serie A match between Genoa CFC and Juventus at Stadio Luigi Ferraris on April 30, 2022 in Genoa, Italy. (Photo by Getty Images)

Juventus Ready to Offload Rugani But There’s Catch

Juventus outcast Daniele Rugani reportedly has to lower his wages if he’s to leave Turin in search of regular first-team action elsewhere. According to Calciomercato, the Italians are keen to get rid of the underperforming defender’s salary, but it’s up to the player. 

Rugani signed for Juventus as a teenager in 2013, joining the club’s youth ranks from Empoli. Tipped for Giorgio Chiellini’s long-term successor in Turin, the Italian center-back had long been kept in high esteem by the Bianconeri hierarchy. However, he has done next to nothing to live up to expectations. 

Juventus even gave him a lucrative long-term contract in 2019, hoping to turn him into a defensive cornerstone after Chiellini’s departure. That’s a decision the record-time Serie A champions would come to regret after almost four years.

After a couple of ill-fated loan spells at Cagliari and Rennes, it’s become clear Rugani is not the caliber Juventus had hoped for, forcing the club to contemplate his sale. But while the 28-year-old has occasionally drawn interest from some Serie A sides, Massimiliano Allegri has refused to cut him loose. 

Up until this point. Juventus are now desperate to offload Rugani’s hefty wages. But they’ll need the defender’s help to break a fateful marriage. The Italian’s contract runs until 2024, and he’d have to give up some portion of his earnings to facilitate his exit. 

Rugani has made only two Serie A appearances this season. Not even Gleison Bremer’s rough adaptation period helped him re-establish himself at the Allianz Stadium. The break-up is close, yet a lack of suitors could make his departure difficult this winter.