5 moves that Juventus should still make this summer

Sell Blaise Matuidi

Much like Khedira, Blaise Matuidi should be removed from Juve’s suddenly overcrowded midfield. Unlike Khedira, Matuidi was still very much a useful piece of Juve’s midfield last season, but it seems unlikely that he will continue to be for much longer.

Juventus most likely signed Adrien Rabiot to take his place in the midfield and Juve has Rodrigo Bentancur and Emre Can available to rotate Rabiot out when necessary. Sticking Matuidi into a logjam like that this late in his career would be a waste of one of his few remaining good years. Instead he should be sold somewhere that he can get playing time and ease into his impending decline.

That decline is definitely on its way. Matuidi is 32, has played an absolute ton of minutes over the last few seasons, and his activity level in those minutes has surely taken its toll given the little rest he has been able to take recently. It is in Juve’s best interest to sell him before he reaches the point Khedira is at right now.

Matuidi has reportedly drawn some interest from both Manchester United and Monaco. Either team would be a nice fit for him. At United he could take on a new challenge in the Premier League and try to help an underperforming squad return to the Champions League. At Monaco he could return to his home country and help stabilize a club that went from Champions League contender to fighting off relegation in just a couple of seasons. Bringing in his veteran leadership wouldn’t be particularly costly for either squad.

Juventus should make this move for everybody’s good. They get paid for an aging player who isn’t needed anymore, the club they sell him to gets a year or two of Blaise Matuidi still playing at a high level, and Matuidi gets to be a major part of a club for another couple of years.