Matteo Retegui has emerged as the latest target for Juventus’ attack, with Tuttosport reporting that new coach Thiago Motta has signaled his approval. The club’s sporting director, Cristiano Giuntoli, is working to revamp the Bianconeri’s offensive line, which will see new faces and several departures.
According to the newspaper, Juve are looking to find a new number 9, an alternative to Dusan Vlahovic. The latest idea is El Chapita, the Genoa striker who concluded his first season in Italy with 9 goals in 34 appearances across Serie A and Coppa Italia.
Motta, the incoming Juventus coach, is particularly fond of Retegui as he is seeking a backup for Vlahovic who can run extensively off the ball, make sacrifices, and be a factor inside the penalty area. For these reasons, as well as economic considerations, Retegui is ahead of Morata on the preference list.
However, Juventus faces two significant challenges: strong competition and Genoa’s valuation of Retegui. The striker is a top choice for Fiorentina, even if Moise Kean arrives from Juventus. He’s also on the radar of Roma’s new sporting director, Florent Ghisolfi, who won’t redeem Romelu Lukaku and has put Tammy Abraham on the market.
Genoa are in a strong position, having initially set a €40 million price tag for Retegui – more than triple the €12 million plus bonuses they paid to acquire him from Tigre last summer.
Retegui’s current contract with Genoa runs until 2027, with a net salary of about €2.2 million per season. Last summer, he turned down lucrative offers from Saudi Arabia and the Premier League to come to Italy. Al Nassr, Cristiano Ronaldo’s club, had offered $8 million net per year, while Wolverhampton and Nottingham Forest had proposed contracts worth €4 million annually.
