Playing for 90
Fansided

6 players Juventus should target this summer

By John Vaccaro

DOETINCHEM, NETHERLANDS - MAY 15: Hakim Ziyech of Ajax during the Dutch Eredivisie match between De Graafschap v Ajax at the De Vijverberg on May 15, 2019 in Doetinchem Netherlands (Photo by Erwin Spek/Soccrates/Getty Images)
DOETINCHEM, NETHERLANDS - MAY 15: Hakim Ziyech of Ajax during the Dutch Eredivisie match between De Graafschap v Ajax at the De Vijverberg on May 15, 2019 in Doetinchem Netherlands (Photo by Erwin Spek/Soccrates/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 5
Next
TURIN, TORINO – APRIL 29: Sergej Milinkovic Savic of SS Lazio celebrate a opening goal during the serie A match between Torino FC and SS Lazio at Stadio Olimpico di Torino on April 29, 2018 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Marco Rosi/Getty Images)
TURIN, TORINO – APRIL 29: Sergej Milinkovic Savic of SS Lazio celebrate a opening goal during the serie A match between Torino FC and SS Lazio at Stadio Olimpico di Torino on April 29, 2018 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Marco Rosi/Getty Images) /

Sergej Milinkovic-Savic

Juventus signing Sergej Milinkovic-Savic was a popular rumor last summer, but he has since seemingly fallen down the list of Juve targets this year. That drop appears to be the case with many of SMS’s potential suitors from last season and is most likely caused by a drop off in production this season. However, there was a pretty obvious cause for his struggles this season.

As a team, Lazio saw their goal tally decrease by 33 goals, their point total drop by 13, and the team’s spot in the table drop from 5th to 8th. This is a pretty clear depiction of one fact. Lazio as a whole just wasn’t nearly as good this season. This absolutely shouldn’t give him a free pass for a poor season, as some of his decline came down to him flat-out not playing well, but we should be able to draw the conclusion that at least some of the blame for his disappointing season should come down to a major decline from the whole squad. That isn’t an issue he would need to worry about at Juventus.

Juve already has a talented squad and if recent reports are to be believed that squad will be getting even stronger. Alongside Miralem Pjanic and either Blaise Matuidi or Adrien Rabiot, SMS would have plenty of freedom to operate as he pleases and would also be the beneficiary of a ton of possession. Milinkovic-Savic’s performance next season would just about have to improve if he ended up at Juventus and if it doesn’t it would be pretty clear that the world was wrong about him last summer.

There is at least one benefit to his struggles last season. His transfer fee will be much more reasonable this season than it would have been last season. Juve should take advantage of that fact and bring him while his stock is low. His value would have a really good chance of getting back to the numbers we saw last year after he gets a season with an elite squad and an attacking focused manager. I think there is huge upside here.

Home/Serie A