Juventus interested in top La Liga defender

Atletico Madrid centre-back Jose Gimenez has been linked with Italian giants Juventus.

According to Calciomercato, La Vecchia Signora could make a €60 million summer move for the Uruguayan defender in order to properly replace Leonardo Bonucci. They have an ageing backline, which needs to be bolstered in order to have a seamless transition in the long-term.

Gimenez has excelled at Atletico Madrid under Diego Simeone. They play in a narrow style which stifles the opposition and presses high in stages. The Uruguayan suits this because they play in a low block where defensive actions are a key part of the centre-back’s role. However, he is also competent on the ball as most modern top defenders are.

Atletico have managed without him at times due to injury or Simeone preferring Stefan Savic. However, they are similar to Juventus in that they have an ageing back line. Diego Godin is declining while Juanfran and Filipe Luis are the wrong side of 30. In Oblak, they have a young goalkeeper who is among the best in world football. Although he is the target of many clubs and could be tempted to leave.

Gimenez leaving would place even more emphasis on talented centre-back Lucas Hernandez. They do have an excellent scouting network in South America, but the squad is spread thin currently due to various reasons.

Selling Gimenez would bring in significant funds, but it would make the job of maintaining their status a lot harder for Simeone or whoever replaces him. They can’t afford to let the Uruguayan go yet especially with the money they are expected to gain from Antoine Griezmann’s potential transfer in the summer.

What does this mean for Juventus?

This move would help them maintain their formidable defensive reputation for the near future. Bonucci was supposed to help ease the transition when older players such as Andrea Barzagli and Gianluigi Buffon moved on. However, his departure left Barzagli and Giorgio Chiellini as the main options at the start of the season; both are the wrong side of 30 with Barzagli close to retirement. 30-year-old Medhi Benatia was brought in as a stopgap, and has impressed this season. Benedikt Howedes was brought in to do the same, but he has struggled with injuries.

Gimenez would give them a promising long-term future because him and Daniele Rugani are both 23-years-old. They are both top talents who could be among the best in the world in the future. Chiellini would also be alongside them for the near future, which would help them develop significantly.

Next: Fate is working against Atletico Madrid

Juventus also have Wojciech Szczesny as a successor for Buffon, so they have replacements for these legendary players. The future looks bright for Juventus fans especially if they manage to bring in Gimenez. They have identified long-term replacements for key players who helped them win a legendary six consecutive Serie A titles as well as potentially another one this season. In Massimiliano Allegri, they also have a proven manager who can find innovative solutions to consistently bring success.

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