Juventus Seek Powerful No. 9 for New Season
Juventus are back in the market for a classic No. 9, and this time they want power as much as polish.
According to reports in Italy, the club have set out to find a physically imposing centre-forward to give Luciano Spalletti a more direct option up front for the new season. The search stretches across the Premier League, with several profiles under scrutiny as the Bianconeri look to add a different kind of threat to their attack.
Sport director Frederic Massara is leading the operation, sifting through targets and scenarios while keeping a close eye on the financial framework. Juventus want more muscle and presence in the box, but not at the expense of balance in the squad or on the books.
Mateta back in the frame
One name has pushed itself firmly back into the conversation.
Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta has re-emerged as a major target, with La Gazzetta dello Sport reporting that the Frenchman has offered his services to the Turin club. Under contract at Selhurst Park until June 2027, Mateta is understood to be open to a move as he assesses his future in the wake of a managerial change in south London.
Juventus are watching closely. Mateta’s profile – physical, direct, and Premier League-tested – fits the brief, and his apparent willingness to explore a transfer only sharpens the focus in Turin.
He is not alone on their list, but he is very much back near the top of it.
Young forwards on the radar
Behind Mateta, Juventus have cast a wider net across Europe’s emerging forwards.
The club are tracking Nottingham Forest’s Arnaud Kalimuendo and Newcastle United’s Nick Woltemade, both viewed as talents with room to grow and resale value to match. Their names sit not only on Juventus’ shortlist but also on the radar of other major sides, including Napoli, underlining how competitive this particular market has become.
Juventus like the potential. They like the age profile. They like the idea of adding depth and future value in one move. But every possible signing runs into the same hard reality: numbers.
Squad space and financial parameters remain non‑negotiable. Before Massara can move decisively on any of these options, Juventus must clear the decks.
Outgoings will decide everything
That is where the real bottleneck lies.
Before any new forward can walk through the door, Juventus need exits to unlock both room in the dressing room and margin in the budget. The departure of Canadian striker Jonathan David is described as essential to push ahead with incoming deals, with his sale seen as a key step in funding and justifying a fresh investment in attack.
Until that happens, Juventus can only line up their targets and wait.
As the transfer window ticks towards its final stretch, the equation is brutally simple: sell well, then strike. If they manage it, Spalletti could start the season with the powerful centre-forward he wants and a refreshed cast of young attackers behind him. If not, Juventus risk going into another campaign one weapon short of the firepower they clearly crave.
