After yet another defeat in a Champions League final, Juventus need to have a rethink about their squad, and see how they can improve it to avoid this scenario from repeating itself again.
One of the ways they feel they need to improve, at least according to Gazzetta dello Sport, is by buying a new midfielder capable of sitting in front of the defence and imposing themselves physically on the opponent.
A bit like Casemiro does at Real Madrid.
That was their plan last summer, but apart from Mario Lemina, who has barely played, no one really came in until January, when they purchased Tomas Rincon from Genoa.
The Venezuelan has had to make do with mostly appearances from the bench, and now Juventus want to bring someone else in, someone who can start straight away and has the level to do so.
Gazzetta dello Sport claim that that man is Chelsea’s Nemanja Matic, who was also top of their list last year for the role.
That hasn’t changed, with the Italian newspaper claiming the defensive midfielder is still their number one target, and there’s a feeling they might have more chance this year than they did last.
Antonio Conte had just arrived last summer, and while he added some players to his team, an overhaul was out of the question, meaning he kept hold of most of his squad.
This year, however, having already won the Premier League, the Italian seems keen to rejuvenate the players at his disposal, with Monaco’s Tiémoué Bakayoko apparently one of his main targets.
Bringing in the France international would mean the end of Matic, as he won’t be displacing Kanté, who has also been linked with a move to José Mourinho’s Manchester United.
A few changes are expected to happen at Stamford Bridge this year, especially with Champions League football to think about next season, and a Nemanja Matic departure, whether to Old Trafford or Turin, seems far more likely this time around.
