New Juventus sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli says coach Max Allegri hasn’t asked him for any specific players this summer. The former Napoli director gave his first press conference for the Bianconeri and touched on the future of certain squad members, including Dusan Vlahovic and Federico Chiesa. Giuntoli also talked about the situation in defence and explained the relationship he has with Allegri, who he believes is best suited to the club right now:
Are transfers planned in the defence?
“We have Alex Sandro, Rugani, Danilo, Gatti, Bremer, De Winter. We have a lot of players in the defence and we are fine, in fact depending on how things go it may be that one will have to be moved out.”
Difficult to impose the sustainability discourse on a team like Juve? It will require a sacrifice one way or another.
“That it is more difficult may well be, but Juventus is still Juventus. However, my advent will have to be a path and not an event. So it will take some time to try to bring about a virtuous path. However, the goal of the club right now is this getting back to being competitive and virtuous. At first it will be an obstacle, but in the long run it can give us great benefits that we can do to organize a team that can give us satisfaction for more years. As for the sacrifices, I don’t know, right now we have to be calm and lucid and try to rationalize the roster to put the coach in the best conditions to do well. After that we will see. I repeat, the market has just begun. We don’t know whether we will make the Conference League or not. Let’s wait a moment.”
What players did Allegri ask you for? And what game will she ask Allegri for?
“With the coach I talk every day and he has not asked me for any players, he is happy with the team, he believes we have to continue the project with young players that was started years ago by Cherubini and Manna. Last year the coach debuted 5/6 players. He played Under 23 players in Juventus, which is a very difficult thing. You have to continue this path of growth with them. He honestly didn’t ask me anything, and he told me about the team, that he thinks they have great room for improvement. So this is his first approach with me, this was it. I also did not ask him anything, certainly there is a daily meeting and all the decisions that are made are shared between the company, myself, John, the coach and all the managers. We are all together all the time and talk with each other every day. When news officially comes out it is because we all agree on it. I haven’t thought about how the fans would take Lukaku’s arrival. Honestly we in the market information period, but we are not thinking about consequences of something that is not there.”
Team already ready to win?
“It will take some time. However, I have found people of a great level who are very capable. They have done a great job in the last period and there is a will to continue doing this kind of work: focusing on young players and being patient. I understand that the Juventus world wants everything right away. But we have to start again and we need patience . Then once a virtuous mechanism is triggered, everything is easier. Right now we need to stay calm, rationalize the roster. Help the coach and staff to do better and give everyone their best. I believe we can achieve great results.”
Can you give us a point on the players who will go on loan?
“We are evaluating now, but it is still early. We still have a month of the market ahead and we have to understand the needs of the guys, but also our needs. First we will evaluate them for the first team. Now it’s a bit premature to make a type of path for these guys.”
Will you also be on the bench here at Juve?
“I honestly really like to be close to the boys and experience the game so I can notice the various nuances and details. I think I don’t bother, because I’m just there to observe.”
What might be the irrefutable offers?
“I don’t talk about figures because everything depends and above all we have to understand when they will come and if they will come. But I don’t talk about figures.”
Can you explain why Allegri is the right man for Juve?
“Last year was extraordinarily difficult. A person of his level and caliber, let’s not forget that Juve had an important year and an important path, and we believe that Massimiliano can take this path forward with his qualities. We think that to achieve the great results you need talent, mentality, and discipline, and we are strasure that the most talented of all is him.”
