The Midfield: From Hero to Zero?

Alright folks,

Pogba is gone- lets accept it and NOT make this thread about this piece that is now missing from the team.

In three years we went from:
Marchisio-Pirlo-Vidal

to:
Pogba-Marchisio-Khedira

to:
Pjanic-Marchisio*-Khedira*

Now we face an identity crisis. With a fit Marchisio and Khedira, I actually love this midfield. We have a fantastic balance, creativity, work rate, speed, passing, you name it. The issue is Marchisio is out until November, December, January (depending on which report you want to believe and you really cannot rush a torn ACL), and Khedira is injury prone.

Lets look at the rest of the midfield, in no order:
Lemina
Sturaro
Asamoah
Pereyra
Hernanes

We definitely need to sign at least one midfielder but the real question is: who do you target?

Lets get some names and predict who would be a good fit

I'll start with a few names that will not happen:
1) Verratti- sorry guys
2) Andre Gomes- signed with Barcelona
3) Matic- Conte just spoke of his great importance to his team, would be my ideal signing
4) Mascherano- just extended his contract for 3 years, and lets face it, it wasn't happening anyways
5) Kroos- no chance in 100 summers
6) Amadou Diawara- he just signed for Roma

Now lets move onto players I hope won't happen:
1) Moussa Sissoko- overpriced, over hyped, no end product and not even really a central midfielder in my mind as he spent more of his career on the wing then in the middle
2) Axel Witsel- I think he might actually be signed, just a gut feeling looking at the market. What can I say? I'm not a fan, I don't rate him highly and from all the times I've seen him play, albeit not as many as I would like before judging a player, I haven't seen anything impressive from in the midfield. I'm not sure how he would fit into this Juventus team or what positives he would bring.

Players that would be interesting if they happened:
1) Leo Paredes- Empoli has recently spoken about Juventus potentially being interested in Paredes but in combination with Empoli, probably purchasing and loaning him back to Empoli. I thought he was great in Serie A this season, he's young and talented enough but I am unsure if he is ready for a big club. I just find this option much more appealing than Witsel, lets just say
2) Matuidi- I've called him the Anti-Pogba because he occupies the same space as Pogba as a LCM but is basically the opposite type of player. I think he would be a strong signing and would instantly make our midfield more physical

Update 1:
1) Hector Herrera- I don't know much about him but Devi and Moggi both rate him, I've seen him linked closer with Napoli than with Juventus but I believe if ya'll believe

Who do ya'll want to see?

Matuidi has a physical presence but is still short.
I prefer tall players, like Witsel.

I don't have a particular opinion on Witsel, but for a 4th midfielder i think he will do no harm, and probably improve. He was playing in an inferior league, yet was a sure starter for Zenit. It's not like buying a rotation player from Tom Tomsk after all.

Matuidi > Witsel i suppose, but i'd prefer Witsel. I guess i'm the only one.

Matic or Herrera (Porto) or both will do

What a great post Luca and i completely agree on everything though i relly have only seen Paredes name and not his actual playing but still finds it more intriguring than witsel.

Im a big fan of Matuidi and his dangers around the box hard work, and above decent flair for creating chances.

Im in the dark over who to get as i dont think there are more than a couple of players worthy of this midfield as i have full faith in the likes of Asamoah if fit and Lemina, Sturaro.

#1 would be Veratti
#2 Kroos
#3 Matuidi
#4 Rabiot

Not Much of a help here but im eager to hear some names

Lets Hope for Herrera then both Moggi and Devi rates him

Pogba being gone means our subs, and especially Pereyra and Lemina, will have their chance more often. I'd bet my shoes none of them is sold this summer.

We still need 1 DM/physical btb tho, i do not deny that. Shame Ramires is unavailable.

The Midfield:

Pjanic:

PJANIC 2015-2016 :

Marchisio:

MARCHISIO 2015-2016:

Khedira:

KHEDIRA 2015-2016:

Sturaro:

STURARO 2015-2016:

Lemina:

LEMINA:

Pereyra:

PEREYRA:

Asamoah:

ASAMOAH:

HerNOPLEASESTOPnes:

HERNANES:

Until very recently both Pjanic and Higuain were out of our reach.

With how things have evolved recently we can never expect which player our management might want to sign. Plus with Pogba's cash almost every player becomes available.

We may think X or Y player is unobtainable but our management might actually go for it. So don't cross anyone out of the list yet.

True.

Pogba was unsellable, Juve said it 1000 times. Man Utd offers him the moon as a salary, and now in order to have his pay raise, he wants to join them. If Juve tries to convince him but he still wants the money, they Juve is obligated to sell him.

So if we offer Matic a 7M salary he would most likely force the move by himself. Chelsea would not want to sell, but they would be forced to so they will do the same thing we did for Polpo: raise the amount. I don't think they can hustle us to more than 50M tho.


You can judge the loyalty of Pogba, but at the end of the day he is not Marchisio, Buffon or Chiellini... just a great player who had his time here before continuing elsewhere, like Zidane did. He has respect for Juventus and i never heard of him saying a bad word about the club.

Realistic targets are Witsel, Kovacic, Brozovic, Hector Herrera, Matuidi, Paredes

50/50 are Matic

Probably not are Kroos, Mascherano

The mother of all dreams, collect the check and run to Paris and give it to the Shiekhs... for VERRATTI...

Verratti

Spoiler:

I would've dreamt about Verratti if he had a release clause. Sadly he doesn't and PSG will neither sell or negotiate with us.

You guys are getting ahead of yourselves with the Pogba money, ignoring how much was spent this summer- it's not a coincidence.

There are players that are certainly just not in our reach and Verratti is one of them. He recently extended his contract until 2020 and is very happy at the club he is at, Paris is also not short of funds and as S pointed out, there is no release clause.

Verratti dreams of playing in Italy, and dreams of Juve...

Never say never...

0% chance in 2016 though and that's my point.

A man can dream ffs

Luca wrote:0% chance in 2016 though and that's my point.

2017...

We've made a lot of dream signings to be honest

It's just time to be sensible and close out the summer in style

Matic...

Depends how much we're willing to spend


Herrera + DM depending on the DM of course would cost 60-70M in total. Not that much considering we have sales to make.


DM + Koke (60M release clause) puts us back a fair bit more. That would be on the ambitious side.



I'd even go for Matuidi + William Carvalho myself, that puts us 75M out of pocket it rumours are to believed about both players price.

Tomwin Lannister wrote:Depends how much we're willing to spend


Herrera + DM depending on the DM of course would cost 60-70M in total. Not that much considering we have sales to make.


DM + Koke (60M release clause) puts us back a fair bit more. That would be on the ambitious side.



I'd even go for Matuidi + William Carvalho myself, that puts us 75M out of pocket it rumours are to believed about both players price.

I'd sell hernanes, Pereyra Zaza, keep Sturaro Lemina and (Asamoah), try to get Koke for maybe 50m or pay his clause, and Gabigol. Close our market. Boom.

Why do you guys want 2 midfielders ? I agree 100% about one physical midfielder.

But the second one... i don't think that's gonna happen. Imagine you get Herrera for 30m, aight. To play when ? Instead of who ? He'd take Sturaro's spot as a fifth choice midfielder ? No need for that at all.

The real season starts with the CL knock out round for us lads. Serie A is not a concern anymore even with Marchisio out.

We don't need 2 midfielders. At least not before selling one between Hernanes & Pereyra or Sturaro.

I guess Beppe can loan Kovacic from Real Madrid and replace Hernanes with him.

Next we need a very good midfielder , a player that can be a starter right away.

If Koke has a 60 mln € release clause we should pay that if we get 110 - 120 mln € from Pogba sale.

I believe with all that money from Pogba sale, Higuain costing us 45 mln this year , plus some more money from deadweight in midfield will make Beppe confident to make another good hit in midfield , a player of high profile.

Don't forget we have a great player in Asamoah if all goes well for him this season.

If not then we'll have to risk with second hand options like Herrera or Witsel.


Koke - Pjanic - Khedira - Marchisio - Asamoah - Kovacic - Sturaro/Pereyra looks great to me.

Tbh, I really wouldn't be surprised if we pay Koke's release clause.

Matic + Herera = AMAZING

Herera + Witsel = ok

Herrera + Kovacic = AMAZING