What should be the strategy for Juventus without Mandzukic and Cancelo?
- By Kaustubh Pandey (@Kaus_Pandey17)
But the question that arises out of that is where do Juve go from there? Not just because these were crucial players for the side last season under Massimiliano Allegri, but also because who do Juve go after in such a way that the players suit how Sarri would want the bianconeri to play.
It would have been tough for Sarri to play both Mandzukic and Cristiano Ronaldo in the same side considering how he wants his team to play. Only one can play up front and there need to proper wingers around him for the system to work. Unlike how it was for the last three seasons, Mandzukic can't play out wide in the 'Sarriball' system.
It seems the right move, taking into account the fact that this is the last chance to get a good resale value out of the Croatian and because he won't fit the system after Ronaldo seems to be the centre of the globe for Juve.
Links with Mauro Icardi continue to be made. Some reliable reports state that a swap deal involving Paulo Dybala and Icardi can be a possibility. But once you try making sense of that, where would that deal leave Ronaldo? And why would Sarri want to let Dybala slip when he might be a key in his system down the right flank?
Undoubtedly, if Icardi does arrive in Turin, he would want to be first choice. But with Ronaldo in the side, he can't be the first choice at all. And Wanda Nara would not want that, let alone Icardi.
Coming to Cancelo, the Portuguese never got along well with Allegri. Potential suitors would need around 60 million euros to sign the former Valencia man, with Manchester City and Manchester United linked with a move.
There will certainly be no shortage of players that would want to come to Juve, as Mattia de Sciglio does not seem to be good enough to play for the club now. While Spinazzola can do a job on the right, he has shown that he can be Juve's first choice left-back ahead of Alex Sandro.
Napoli's Elseid Hysaj is leaving the club in the summer and the Albanian was linked with Juve last summer. While he had a poor season under Carlo Ancelotti, he still is a fine player- an upgrade on De Sciglio.
Kieran Trippier is another name that is being linked but fresh reports from England state that the Tottenham man wants to stay in England after having rejected a partenopei switch. Trippier endured a frustrating season at Spurs but he is a very good right-back and on his day, one of the best in the Premier League. He isn't a great defender but he is a gem of a crosser and very good set-piece taker. Attacking full-backs are players that Sarri always likes in the side.
Having said that, Paul Pogba's possible signature could see a player head to United and it could well be Cancelo since the Red Devils need a first choice right-back themselves.
All in all, it seems like a lot depends on Sarri and the plan he has up his sleeve for the club. The rumors suggest things that might not be the best for the Italian to take the club forward and mould it into the style he wants the players to play. Apart from a midfield regeneration, Juve have to deal with the exits of Cancelo and Mandzukic properly.