In the wake of the unsaid, one of the most evident cracks of Juventus’ season could open up, perhaps the main one if the reference is the second part. After the match at the Olimpico, after a good match by the Bianconeri for all 90 minutes, something that hadn’t happened for a long time, Allegri returned to talking about the squad and who he didn’t have at his disposal this year: Fagioli and Pogba, stopped by the judge sportsman with the championship started. “They are quality players who could have given us a hand” said the Juventus coach, indirectly reopening the question of the repair market. When rewinding the tape, however, some inconsistencies also emerge. Between everyone’s saying and doing: and that which is not said, evidently, really weighs a lot. Because during the transfer market Giuntoli seemed to maintain an almost passive attitude for several weeks regarding the possibility of making interventions, adapting to an idea expressed several times by Allegri: that is, not to upset the balance achieved by the team up to that point of the season .
REPAIR
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Until January 21st – that is, the day of the last match won away (in Lecce) which also gave them the chance to jump to the top of Serie A – Juve was “over performing”, having to manage a real emergency in midfield , at least on a numerical level. Since the end of January, in fact, the midfielders have held up less: the physical problems of McKennie and Rabiot have forced Allegri to make forced choices, and the replacements for the starters have not always proved to be up to the standard of the starters. The main reflection on the repair market opens right here: because, beyond what has been said, Giuntoli in January was trying to make ends meet to score some coups, but evidently not finding the right agreement with Allegri. Juve, in fact, found itself dealing with Phillips from Manchester City (now at West Ham), but without closing because the player would have expected to play as a starter, despite not knowing the championship. A bit like Henderson, intending to return to Europe after the brief period in Saudi Arabia and who could have acted more as a mother hen to the youngsters: so much so that Ajax did not miss the opportunity, relaunching immediately afterwards.
CHOICE
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What is not said, evidently, must be sought in the last days of the January transfer window. It seems that Allegri was strongly pushing Bonaventura’s candidacy (on loan), so much so that the midfielder – according to reconstructions – apparently even greeted his teammates in the locker room. The former Milan player was considered by the coach to be the right man to lend a hand in the second part of the season, without the need to settle into the championship. As, evidently, was necessary for Alcaraz, who was instead chosen by Giuntoli, perhaps also to the coach’s surprise. The Argentine arrived from Southampton on a costly loan for 3 million and 700 thousand euros (including wages until the end of the season) plus 200 thousand euros in additional costs. The figure could increase by another million and 900 thousand based on the objectives or as a penalty for missing appearances: perhaps for this reason – often – the midfielder has taken over at the end of matches in recent months. Allegri evidently does not consider Alcaraz the solution to the problems he has found himself managing since the end of January, yet it seems that Giuntoli wants to keep the player (still on loan) next year too.
