Juventus' management firmly believes that if they continue on this path, they will continuously produce talented young stars who can be sold at high prices, generating significant capital gains.
On Saturday afternoon, Juventus officially departed for Herzogenaurach, Germany, where they will conduct a six-day training camp at the Adidas Sports Center, culminating in a friendly match against Nuremberg. However, not all players were called up, due to various reasons: McKennie and Szczesny are still on vacation; Milik and Kostić are not fully recovered from injuries; Chiesa is busy with his wedding; and De Sciglio, Arthur, and Huijsen are surrounded by transfer rumors.
Among them, De Sciglio's situation has sparked controversy. He posted on social media: "In the last few hours, I have heard some inaccurate information about me. I want to clarify that I am fine, with no physical issues, contrary to what Sky Sports and some media have reported. My exclusion was purely the club's decision. Journalists should verify information before publishing incorrect news." Previously, many media outlets, including Sky Sports, attributed De Sciglio's absence to injury, angering fans given his recent injury history.
But this isn't the main focus here. Similar situations occur in every team, such as AC Milan's Ballo-Touré and Origi, and Roma's Karsdorp. The focus is on Huijsen's situation because, typically, a homegrown talent wouldn't be hastily put on the market. But this is exactly what is happening with Huijsen.
Huijsen, only 19, has impressed in Serie C with Juventus Next Gen and quickly attracted interest during a loan spell at Roma. Despite Paris Saint-Germain and some Bundesliga clubs showing interest, Huijsen's transfer progress is slower than his teammate Soulé, who is also on the training camp roster. This results from Juventus' strategy to rely on selling youth talents to generate substantial capital gains, ensuring the club's healthy operation.
Juventus was the first Italian club to establish a second team when the policy was restored in 2018. Over several years, the club has reached the first harvest cycle, producing talents like Soulé, Huijsen, and Yıldız, each with different trajectories. While Soulé and Huijsen's paths are similar, Mota wants to test Soulé's potential personally, leading to offers from Leicester City and Roma. In contrast, Huijsen seems destined for sale, as Juventus needs to accumulate revenue quickly to rebuild and achieve results.
Juventus has marked Huijsen at €25-30 million and Soulé at €35 million. If sold, these players represent nearly pure profit since they were acquired at minimal cost. Juventus has developed a highly efficient model that other Serie A clubs envy. They are confident that sticking to this path will continuously produce and sell young talents at high prices.
For instance, two years ago, nearly all Serie A giants were after young striker Tommaso Mancini, but AC Milan backed out due to high signing bonuses. Juventus, however, paid the €2 million demanded, showcasing their confidence in this strategy. Similarly, signing Montenegrin midfielder Adžić, who occupies one of two non-EU slots alongside Douglas Luiz, indicates high expectations. Juventus' management believes that, as long as they persist, they will continually generate young talents and high profits.
This strategy may not be perfect since there are more ways to treat second-team talents than "initial processing." Through collective evaluations, more players might stay for further development or be sold to wealthier clubs for top prices. Juventus' recent decline necessitates quick results, leading to the sacrifice of top talents like Huijsen. This bittersweet necessity could lead to a healthier path.
Why did Juventus replace Allegri with Mota, who has never won any honors as a coach? Because Mota is one of the best coaches in Serie A at increasing player value. According to last season's data (from Transfermarkt), Bologna saw a 57.5% increase in player value, second only to Frosinone. Notably, Zirzkee's sale to Manchester United for €42.5 million and Karafiori's potential €50 million move to Arsenal exemplify Mota's abilities. Allegri couldn't achieve this, despite numerous youth promotions last season driven by the club's directives.
However, Mota's task this season is daunting. He must rebuild Juventus' entire framework, achieve results to placate fans, and develop young players. This challenge is enormous, and while there may not be many emerging stars this season, the growth of talents like Yıldız and potentially Soulé under Mota's guidance is promising.
Copyright Notice:
Datavictory copyrights this specification. No part of this specification may be reproduced in any form or means, without the prior written consent of Datavictory.
Link:
