Three players who MUST leave Juventus
So the summer transfer window has finally arrived on us, and has began with a bang. Cancellation of contracts, board meetings regarding huge transfer fees and players rushing to embark on a new chapter in their footballing career: all this has been happening for the last month or so. And none have been busier than the recently crowned champions of Italy, Juventus FC. They have bought a lot of players to bolster their squad and add necessary depth. But sadly, this comes at a cost to those players who had already been at the fringes of the team in the previous season. The roster is bulging with names who clearly cannot offer much to Juventus, and thus deserve a move away form the club. Here is a look at three such unfortunate people.
Milos Krasic
Age : 27
Appearances in 2011-12 : 6
Goals in 2011-12 : 1
Estimated Value : €10-12 million
Interested Clubs : Liverpool, Tottenham, Marseille
This tricky Serbian winger was once one of the hottest commodities in European football after some inspiring displays for CSKA Moscow, particularly in the Champions League. After an intense bidding war involving Real Madrid, Chelsea and Manchester United, Juventus finally pipped them all to secure his signature for €15 million in 2010. Krasic shone in his first season, where he made 33 appearances, contributing 7 goals and 3 assists. His mazy runs and lightning speed initially made him a first-choice winger. But frequent suspensions coupled with the arrival of new manager Antonio Conte spelled trouble for Krasic. Conte preferred a narrow style of play, not favouring the use of out-and-out wingers. Thus, he was reduced to bit-part appearances and cameos, which did not hep his cause. Only 27, he still has time to make an impact.
Eljero Elia
Age : 25
Appearances in 2011-12 : 4
Goals in 2011-12 : 0
Estimated Value : €7 million
Interested Clubs: Werder Bremen, Arsenal
Another victim of Conte’s winger-less formation, Elia has had an harrowing year at Turin. He first built his reputation at FC Twente, where his speed and direct dribbling, coupled with fantastic long-range shooting ability, made him a much sought-after player. He moved to Hamburg for a reported €8.5 million. He missed most of 2010 with a bizarre skin allergy due to a poorly applied tattoo, but made it to the Netherlands squad for the 2010 World Cup. He impressed many with some excellent performances, causing havoc on the right wing. This attracted Juventus, who bought him for €9 million in 2011. He flourished under Luigi Del Neri, but had to contend with a place on the bench under Conte, who arrived early in the season. Like Krasic, he has plenty of time to re-establish his reputation, provided he moves to the right club and gets playing time.
Felipe Melo
Age : 29
Appearances in 2011-12 (For Galatasaray) : 36
Goals in 2011- 12 (For Galatasaray) : 12
Estimated Value : €15 million
Interested Clubs : Galatasaray, Sao Paulo
This talented Brazilian midfielder, who spent last season at Turkish club Galatasaray on loan, has had an impeccable career throughout. He has played for three top-flight Brazilian clubs, and had excelled in all of them. Following a period of relative success at Fiorentina, he signed for Juventus in 2009 for approximately €18.5 million, and had an excellent 2010-11 campaign, including a man-of-the-match performance against AC Milan. In order to create room for the arrivals of Andrea Pirlo and Arturo Vidal, he was sent out on loan to Turkey, where he consistently performed well for Galatasaray. Now that he has returned back to Turin, he finds himself in a bad situation, with Pirlo, Vidal, Marchisio, Simone Pepe and new arrivals Isla and Kwadwo Asamoah all contesting for a spot in midfield. So the best option for him would be to either go back to Turkey, or move to some other club.