The arrival of Manuel Locatelli could be just the first step to rebuild the Juventus midfield. On top of a playmaker, coach Massimiliano Allegri would like to add a physically imposing star player. However, it will be hard to pull off a large investment considering the current club’s finances. There would be significantly better chances if Cristiano Ronaldo left, La Gazzetta dello Sport reports.
The ideal targets are well-known at this point, as the gaffer adores Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Paul Pogba. He asked the management to purchase the Lazio ace multiple times in the past, but he had a €100M price tag. The Frenchman would be less expensive at this stage since he is under contract only until 2022. However, Manchester United recently offered him a new deal worth €26M per year. Juventus would have no shot to get him, likely in the future as well, if he signed it. Real Madrid and PSG are also in on Pogba.
Lazio may have reached the end of a cycle due to Simone Inzaghi leaving and no Champions League. In today’s post-pandemic scenario, €70M could be enough to acquire Milinkovic-Savic, but it is still a sizeable sum.
Juventus would have more money and freedom to operate if Ronaldo departed. Between his salary and the amortization on the €100M fee, the Portuguese ace weighs for €87M on the balance sheets. The rumors have been quiet on this front because of the Euro. His agent Jorge Mendes tested the waters with Real Madrid to see if the return of Carlo Ancelotti changed the situation, as they had previously shut the door. The swap with Pogba is their best shot to get the type of midfielder they covet. PSG remains the likeliest landing spot for the Portuguese striker, but they have not really moved thus far.