Why Juventus Should Jump On Stevan Jovetic This Summer
It seems like everyone and their auntie could be leaving Manchester City this summer. After falling from grace this season, the current Premier League champions need a squad overhaul during the next transfer window, if they stand any chance of regaining the crown that they are about to lose.
One of the players that could be more desperate to jump ship than most would be Stevan Jovetic.
The Montenegrin international hasn’t really had much of a chance to delivery at the Etihad. He’s suffered from various niggling injuries and has struggled to get in ahead of other forwards like Sergio Aguero, Edin Dzeko, Alavaro Negredo and now Wilfred Bony during his stint in England. That has knocked the twenty-five year old confidence.
After Bony signed for City back in January, manager Manuel Pellegrini decided to bomb Jovetic out of City’s Champions League squad and gave his place to the Ivorian hitman instead.
That decision obviously hit Stevan hard and he said this about the situation…
“I deserve to play in the Champions League. I know that. The manager has killed me with this decision. I feel I deserve my place and other people have told me the same.
“People have told me I am a great player, but it is clear that the manager doesn’t think the same way. I am very disappointed, even now. I don’t think it was a good decision – or the right decision.”
Now as far as I’m concerned, and I’d imagine Jovetic feels the same way, that snub from Pellegrini was the last straw and that it proves that the Chilean isn’t convinced of Stevan Jovetic’s ability.
The six foot striker does have pedigree and should have been given more licence to express himself in a ‘Sky Blue’ shirt but unfortunately he’s very much on the periphery at Man City.
When he’s been able to stay fit and get on the field, Jovetic has contributed with five goals in nine Premier League starts and eight appearances from the bench, plus he’s also created three assists.
Now there is a way of thinking that the Montenegrin may hold out over the summer and see if the Manchester club sacks Manuel Pellegrini.
But I don’t really think that’s an option. The owners at City will be serious about this years squad rebuild and that will mean that they are willing to let go of squad players like Stevan. For them, he’s not reached the required levels and gets injured too much.
I also think the forward would benefit from a change of scene and refocus his career elsewhere.
So where should he go?
Well both Liverpool and Inter Milan have been mentioned as possible destinations. I think he’d be more suited to either of those two sides than he is at City, to be fair.
But for me, I’d like to see Italian champions Juventus make a move for him.
Stevan is used to the Serie A style, having already played there for five seasons. As a secondary striker, he’s more of a floater and makes things happen and that’s how he excelled in Florence for Fiorentina.
Now the Viola and La Vecchia Signora are bitter rivals but players have made the switch between the two.
‘Jo-Jo’ was a hero to those who adore Fiorentina, his performances lit up the Stadio Artemio Franchi and he scored forty goals whilst wearing the famous purple jersey. Those fans that were so loyal to him at Fiorentina would hate to see him move to Turin.
But one Roberto Baggio made the move to Juventus in 1990, after he too found fame in Florence. Both players share similar traits; they like to score and create, they love the ball at their feet and they love to run at players and dribble around and past the opposition.
Those same traits are extremely appealing to the fans of the ‘Old Lady’. They too might be rejigging their squad, especially in the top line.
Fernando Llorente could be shown the door in July with a return to Spain or a move to Tottenham on the offing. I doubt Alessandro Matri will stay on beyond this current loan spell.
Rumours linking Carlos Tevez with a return to Boca Juniors never seem to go away and even if he stays on next season, he’ll no doubt leave in 2016. Jove tic could be the ideal replacement for Tevez.
So reinforcements will be needed to help out Alvaro Morata up-front.
With Stevan Jovetic, Juve would be getting a striker hungry to show he has what it takes to succeed at a top club in the Champions League. Never underestimate the power of using previous adversity to get the very best out of a player. Juventus showed belief in Carlos Tevez after he too had a rocky spell at Man City and look at how he’s rewarded them.
Jovetic also knows the Italian league like the back of his hand. He’s comfortable in that environment, in fact he’s proven in the past that he thrives in Serie A.
Now the Italian giants have also been linked with moves for Radamel Falcao, Robin van Persie and Edison Cavani.
Questions marks surround Falcao and Van Persie regarding their fitness and form. The two older forwards have been had disappointing years and they seem to lack commitment at Man Utd. Both would also command bigger wages than Jovetic.
Cavani would be the player that’s in form compared to the rest of the targets but he’d come with a huge transfer fee and a wage packet to go along with it. Others like Manchester United would be interested and Juve would maybe not fancy themselves in a bidding war.
I think the Juventus regime should be a bit cuter with their transfer targets. Plucking potential like Arturo Vidal and Paul Pogba for bargain prices has served them well in the past.
If they can persuade Manchester City to sell Stevan Jovetic for around £13m-£15m then I think they’ll be laughing. It could prove to be yet another superb signing for the Serie A champs as they could once again transform an old Viola hero into a worldwide superstar!
Posted on April 14th, 2015 by scott
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