Aubameyang better than Martial for Juventus

Carlo Garganese

• 21 Dec 2021 07:00 CST
• 3 min read

Juventus’ number one objective in the January transfer window is to sign a forward.

The Bianconeri’s attack has been nothing short of abysmal in the 2021-22 season.

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They have scored only 25 goals in 18 Serie A games, which is comfortably the lowest in the top-half of the division.

This is a big reason why Juve are struggling down in seventh position and are in very real danger of failing to qualify for next season’s Champions League as they are six points adrift of the top four.

Juve’s top scorers only have five goals each – Paulo Dybala and Alvaro Morata. Moise Kean has two in Serie A, Federico Chiesa one, while Dejan Kulusevski and Federico Bernardeschi have none.

Coach Max Allegri has performed dismally since returning to the club and has changed formation a number of times, deploying a 4-4-2, 4-3-3 and 4-2-3-1.

The common denominator in every system is that – having lost Cristiano Ronaldo just days before the start of the season and never replaced him – Juventus lack a clinical, central goalscorer.

Which forward will Juventus sign in January?

The dream signing is Serie A top scorer Dusan Vlahovic. But there are multiple top Premier League clubs who also want the Serbian, teams with far more money than the Bianconeri. A summer move is also more likely for Vlahovic.

So if we rule Vlahovic out of the equation, the realistic options in January appear to be Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (available due to ill-discipline), Man Utd’s Anthony Martial (has requested a transfer), Edinson Cavani, Mauro Icardi and Sassuolo’s Gianluca Scamacca.

Cavani is understood to prefer a move to Barcelona, while Icardi will not be an easy deal following the injury to Neymar at PSG.

Scamacca is obtainable if Juventus can raise funds by selling players first but given he is a developing player and far from prolific, he would be a gamble given the Bianconeri simply can’t avoid failing to qualify for the Champions League.

That leaves Aubameyang and Martial on an initial six-month loan as the most suitable options.

Given Juventus need a forward who can play centrally, Aubameyang would probably be a better fit. Martial often struggled when played through the middle at Man Utd, especially when he had to play with his back to goal. Aubameyang, although perhaps slightly past his best at 32, is more flexible tactically.

However, if Allegri was to deploy Martial on the left of a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1, or even in a two-man attack, the Frenchman could certainly be a big hit. The problem with that is Juventus would still be missing a clinical goalscorer.

If Aubameyang can regain his focus and professionalism, he can be the man to score Juventus the goals to get them in the Champions League. And with Arsenal prepared to subsidise what would cost Juve around €7.5m in wages over six months, it would not be as expensive as first thought.