Zenga: ‘Juventus don’t have striker worth 15 goals per season’
Walter Zenga warns that despite bringing in Randal Kolo Muani from PSG and Nick Woltemade from Newcastle United, Juventus ‘don’t have a centre-forward who can score 15 goals per season.’
The Bianconeri visit Sassuolo this evening at 19.45 UK time (20.45 CEST).
There is a growing injury crisis for coach Luciano Spalletti to deal with, as he makes this trip without Manuel Locatelli, Jeremie Boga, Weston McKennie, Andrea Cambiaso, Kenan Yildiz, Khephren Thuram, Jeff Ekhator and Juan Cabal.
Zenga doubts Juventus potential
It’s reported they will start Kolo Muani with support from Kerim Alajbegovic, Nico Gonzalez and Francisco Conceicao, but Sky Sport Italia pundit Zenga is unconvinced by the transfer strategy.
“Kolo Muani is not a Number 9, that kind of hitman who can score 15 goals per season, and neither is Woltemade really,” said the former goalkeeper and coach.
“To think that Arek Milik has been out injured for two years and is still on the Juve books. Above all, to think that they had a striker like Dusan Vlahovic who left for reasons we don’t know, but which are presumably tied to his agent and the contract.
“In theory, Juve had two strikers in the squad there with the potential to score 25-30 goals between them.”
Considering the characteristics of Kolo Muani and Woltemade, Zenga believes that we could see a tactical experiment from Spalletti, who after all is not new to this.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if Spalletti sooner or later pulled a rabbit out of the hat like he did at Roma, when he used Francesco Totti as a False 9. He doesn’t have a Totti in the squad now, but it could happen.”