Juventus had a very busy start to the summer transfer window that should make them look like a completely different squad by the time this next season starts.
The month has been wildly successful for Juve, so let’s take a look at the moves that are going to make the team a real contender in the Champions League again next season:
The return of Gianluigi Buffon: A
I’ll keep this part brief because it really isn’t a move that will have a significant impact on Juventus next season. However, he will be a welcome veteran presence and a legend who deserved to finish his career in a Juventus jersey. His return will make it easy for him to slide right into a role in the organization after his retirement and watching him break the record for most Serie A appearances will be a nice moment to witness for Juventus fans. I’m glad to see both sides are rectifying the mistake they made when they separated last season.
Leonardo Spinazzola – Luca Pellegrini swap: C+
This move caught me a bit off-guard. At the end of last season, Spinazzola looked like Juve’s best left-back at the end of last season and it seemed like he might even be able to give Alex Sandro a fight for the starting job. On the other hand, Luca Pellegrini is a player who is developing nicely, but who doesn’t quite look ready to contribute to a big club yet. In fact, by the time this move was made official, there had already been rumors circulating about where Pellegrini would be loaned for next season.
There were some benefits to this deal for Juventus. The sale of Spinazzola provided a capital gain at a time when Juve was trying to make some major deals. Pellegrini is also a promising prospect who could eventually be the replacement for Alex Sandro down the road. If Juve feels that all they need right now is somebody to back Alex Sandro up then Pellegrini can fill that role for some rotational appearances in Serie A. However, if Sandro underperforms this season or gets injured then Juve will quickly regret making this move.