The Hard Tackle explores five low budget attacking options Juventus should target this summer as they slowly prepare for life without Cristiano Ronaldo.
Juventus’s fall from grace in the ongoing campaign has drawn question marks over the future of Andrea Pirlo, but most importantly, over the future of the club itself.
Aside from Cristiano Ronaldo, the Bianconeri are bereft of any reliable goalscorer while the future of the Portuguese also remains uncertain and the situation is bound to get worse after they failed to get past FC Porto in the UEFA Champions League.
A recent report from Calciomercato already suggests that the Serie A giants are looking for a new forward in the summer, with Arsenal’s Alexandre Lacazette tipped as a potential target.
It can be assumed that any new striker could take on the mantle of potentially replacing Ronaldo in the goalscoring department. And here, at The Hard Tackle, we will take a look at five such players who can emerge as an ideal successor for the Portuguese sensation at Juventus next season.
Moise Kean
Juventus’s gamble with signing former striker Alvaro Morata last summer clearly has not panned out in the way they would have wanted, but they could certainly look at another former player in Moise Kean.
An Everton striker currently on loan at Paris Saint-Germain, Kean has made a huge impression in Ligue 1, netting 11 goals in just 19 games. His performances in the final third have been a boon for the PSG side that has often missed the likes of Neymar and Angel Di Maria due to injuries.
Moise Kean at Everton:
?️ Games: 33
⚽ Goals: 2Moise Kean at PSG:
?️ Games: 27
⚽ Goals: 15When you talk about 'La Remontada', don't miss Kean's name. Woah. pic.twitter.com/Kw3v1kJFda
— Football Tweet (@Football__Tweet) March 4, 2021
A product of the Juventus youth academy, Kean never really made a mark in Turin, making just 21 appearances before joining Everton in 2019.
The Italian, though, has mightily improved since, boasting of pace and dynamism that could serve as a breath of fresh air in the Juventus frontline And at the age of just 21, Kean could indeed be an ideal long-term successor for Ronaldo, at least in terms of productivity.
Anthony Martial
Manchester United have had huge success in the ongoing campaign, especially in the attacking unit that has flourished under the leadership of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. However, one particular player that might be on his way out of Old Trafford is Anthony Martial.
The Frenchman has lacked consistency in front of goal, often getting outshined by the likes of Marcus Rashford and Edinson Cavani.
For Juventus, though, it ideally paves the way for them to make a move for the Manchester United forward, who is undoubtedly a talented star that can add the spark that has been missing in the attacking unit.
Martial offers versatility and dynamism that Pirlo values highly and is unlikely to cost a fortune either, making him an interesting option, as far as Juventus are concerned.
Olivier Giroud
Unlike the two other players on this list so far, Olivier Giroud might not be at the peak of his powers. But at the age of 34, the Chelsea forward brings invaluable experience to the Juventus team that could be critical in Pirlo’s bid to help the club restore their lost glory.
In addition to experience, Giroud boasts a tremendous scoring record, having netted 90 goals in just over 250 Premier League appearances. He has 44 goals for the French national team as well, making him an ideal solution for Juventus, as far as productivity is concerned.
Much like Ronaldo, Giroud specializes in physical and aerial attributes. While he certainly would not provide much movement in the final third, the ability of Juventus wingers like Federico Chiesa, Federico Bernardeschi and Dejan Kulusevski to whip in crosses into the box should make things easier for the Frenchman to become one of the club’s main sources of productivity next season.
Alexandre Lacazette
Alexandre Lacazette is the player who has been linked with a move to Juventus this summer as the forward looks to put an end to his career at Arsenal.
During his ongoing four-year spell at the Emirates, Lacazette has attained a decent scoring record of 58 goals in 159 competitive appearances. Unfortunately, his contributions often get overshadowed by a certain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
At Juventus, though, Lacazette’s excellent work-ethic, physicality and tenacity should bode well for Pirlo, who should demand more industry from his attacking players next season.
The Frenchman is no Ronaldo in terms of quality, but he does bring valuable experience and has proven himself at the highest level of football. And with his contract expiring in 2022, Lacazette could indeed be an excellent cut-price option for Bianconeri in the upcoming summer transfer window.
Andre Silva
If none of these aforementioned options are appealing enough for Juventus, they could always set their sights on Ronaldo’s compatriot and former AC Milan sensation in Andre Silva.
Percentage of team’s total goals scored in Europe's top 5 leagues (min 15 goals):
1️⃣ Ronaldo – 42.2%
2️⃣ Lewandowski – 41.7%
3️⃣ Andre Silva – 41.3%
4️⃣ Salah – 37.7%
5️⃣ Suarez – 35.5%
6️⃣ Haaland – 35.4%
7️⃣ Messi – 34.5%
8️⃣ Mbappe – 29.8%
9️⃣ Lukaku – 29.5%
? Bruno – 28.3% pic.twitter.com/7lg18p9C7f— Footy Accumulators (@FootyAccums) March 1, 2021
The current Eintracht Frankfurt striker is enjoying a dream 2020/21 campaign in the Bundesliga, netting 19 goals so far – a tally only bettered by the mercurial Robert Lewandowski.
Silva had a difficult time in Serie A during his previous spell at Milan. However, the Portuguese striker has improved a lot since, particularly in his hold-up play and aerial prowess, making him an ideal target for the Italian giants.
A host of Silva’s goals this season have come from headers, penalties or tap-ins, which is indicative of the player’s composure, positional sense and aerial superiority – qualities that are tailor-made for Juventus in their bid to find a long-term successor for Ronaldo.
