Going into the summer, Juventus are in need of a proper rebuild, an already daunting task made that much more harder after their last-day demotion to the Europa League.
There are some players that will attract Champions League-playing sides and may be on the move even if Juve were inclined to keep hold of them, while there are others who have simply not worked out for the Old Lady and can be expected to be shown the exit door over the coming weeks.
Here, we look at three such players who are set to depart the club this summer.
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Loรฏs Openda
If it werenโt for an obligation to make their initial loan move for him permanent after securing a top-half finish in Serie A, Juve would have gladly sent Loรฏs Openda back to Leipzig.
To say that the 26-year-old has had a horrid debut season to forget would be an understatement. Even in a season where his fellow forwards at the club have struggled in general, two goals in 37 appearances across all competitions hardly make for plaudits.
Whatโs more, Belgium national team coach Rudi Garcia has also left him out his World Cup squad, leaving Juve with no chance of seeing his rapidly deteriorating market value resuscitate even a bit.
Nevertheless, Openda has admirers among those who remember him from his promising stints at Lens and Leipzig. Newly promoted Premier League side Coventry City are reportedly interested in him, while a return to Germany is also on the cards. If Juve opt for a low price tag, they will be able to cut their losses.
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Edon Zhegrova
Having brought him in from Lille for โฌ15.5 million, Edon Zhegrova was considered a shrewd acquisition despite his injury lay-off from the season before due to an adductor issue.
However, despite being fit for the most part this season, the right-winger has not met expectations of any nature. Having managed just 27 appearances under Igor Tudor and Luciano Spalletti, he has registered no goals, no assists.
The 27-year-old Kosovo international is hardly the biggest earner on Juveโs books, with his contract fetching him a gross annual salary of โฌ4.63 million. If a club shows any interest in him in the summer, however, do not expect him to remain at Continassa once the new season rolls around.
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Jonathan David
Speaking of high earners, Jonathan David is arguably Juveโs biggest conundrum. Like Openda, he is another promising forward who arrived amid much fanfare but has failed to impress many, having managed eight goals and five assists in 46 competitions.
However, during the 2020/21 season, his first with former side Lille, he also had meagre returns (13 goals and six assists in 48 games) before going on to become a reliable and regular converter of goals. He is someone Juve may consider holding on to.
But Spalletti wants a physical No. 9. Juve are looking to bring back Randal Kolo Muani from PSG, this time for good, and incidentally the now two-time European champions are also considering giving David a chance, so a swap deal could be likely. Newcastle and Crystal Palace are also reportedly interested in him.
So David has suitors, and he will also be leading the line for Canada at a home World Cup. A decent return at world footballโs greatest stage could convince Juve to give him another chance, while also raising his market value. The biggest hurdle is his โฌ6m-per-year wages, though Juve are currently looking for a price around โฌ25 million. If he delivers at the World Cup, and is willing to drop his wages a bit, his numbers wonโt be too much of a problem for his suitors, especially PSG.
Anshuman Joshi | GIFN
