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Juventus are arguably known as the king of free transfers and have bought some of the world's best players without even paying a single penny. The likes of Andrea Pirlo, Paul Pogba and Sami Khedira have all arrived in Turin on free transfers. They made a significant impact on the pitch for the Old Lady, helping them dominate Serie A over the years.
However, in recent years, we have seen Juventus move away from this policy and instead target a move for players who cost money. Although they have signed a few players on free transfers, they have not done justice to their predecessors.
Juventus are struggling financially due to the pandemic
The Covid-19 pandemic had a huge financial impact on several Italian clubs and Juventus were one of them. The Bianconeri had to bear huge losses during the pandemic and as such had to let go of Cristiano Ronaldo in the summer.
With not a lot of finances available right now, Juventus might once again look to sign players for a free next summer. Considering the areas in which the squad needs to improve, we take a look at five potential free agents who the club could target in 2022:
#5 Edinson Cavani
How time changes. Just a few months back, Edinson Cavani was the main man in attack for Manchester United. The Uruguay international starred for the Red Devils and scored some crucial goals towards the end of last season.
His performances even earned him a one-year extension at Old Trafford and it looked like Cavani would be the first-choice in front of goal again.
But the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo from Juventus towards the end of the summer transfer window completely changed the scenario for the 34-year-old. The Portuguese international is now the main man for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side.
As such it looks likely that the former PSG striker will leave United once his contract expires next summer.
Ronaldo's departure from Juventus has left a hole in their squad and the addition of Cavani could certainly help fulfill that. While Cavani is by no means as prolific as Ronaldo, he still poses a potent threat in front of goal and could provide healthy competition for Alvaro Morata.
Cavani's arrival could also ease the goalscoring pressure on youngsters like Moise Kean and Kaio Jorge, who can also learn and benefit from the forward's experience.
It will be interesting to see whether Juventus go after Cavani next summer or whether the Old Lady go in search of a young but expensive option upfront.
#4 Niklas Sule
Another player Juventus should look to sign for free next summer is Bayern Munich defender Niklas Sule. The German has just one year left on his contract and there has been no news so far of Bayern offering him a contract extension.
With Giorgio Chiellini turning 38 next year and Matthijs de Ligt constantly linked with an exit, Sule's addition next season could prove to be pivotal for the Serie A outfit.
Standing at 6ft 5in, Sule is an excellent defender and is pretty comfortable on the ball. Last season, the 26-year-old had a pass success rate of 90.7 per cent, the third-best in the Bundesliga.
He is also a great tackler of the ball, averaging 1.9 tackles per 90 and has a solid tackle success rate of 81 per cent.
Various reports have claimed that Bayern are targeting Antonio Rudiger or Matthias Ginter next summer. As such, the opportunity to sign Sule on a free transfer is definitely should ideally be too good to turn down for Juventus.
#3 Franck Kessie
With Juventus lacking enough quality in midfield, Franck Kessie's arrival next season could certainly improve things for the Turin outfit in the middle of the park.
The Ivorian will be out of contract next season and he has refused to renew his contract with AC Milan.
Kessie was one of the brightest stars in Serie A last season, playing a key role in Milan's campaign. He was critical in the Rossoneri finishing as runners-up and booking a spot in the Champions League.
The midfielder scored 14 goals and grabbed six assists in all competitions for Milan last season. Kessie's arrival will significantly strengthen Juventus' midfield and will help in making them title contenders once again.
It remains to be seen whether Juventus can poach the 24-year-old, with plenty of top English clubs also behind his signature.
#2 Lorenzo Insigne
Lorenzo Insigne is without a doubt one of the best players in Italy and could leave Napoli as his contract expires next summer.
The attacker has been with the club throughout his career having grown up in the city. The Italian has made more than 400 appearances for Napoli, scoring 111 goals while registering a further 88 assists. He has managed to win two Italian Cups during his time at the club, while the winger was also a key part of the Italy squad that won the Euros this summer.
Juventus are currently in a transitions phase and are rebuilding their squad in a bid to reach the summit of Serie A again. At 30, Insigne is older than most of the players Juve are targeting, but the attacker can definitely add much-needed quality in the wide areas.
Signing an experienced player like Insigne, that too in a Bosman deal, should definitely be a no-brainer for Juventus.
#1 Paul Pogba
One player that Juventus would definitely like to sign on a free transfer next summer is Manchester United's french superstar Paul Pogba.
The 28-year-old was an instrumental figure during his four-year stint at the club between 2012 and 2016 having joined from United during the 2011-12 season.
Pogba made 124 appearances for the Bianconeri during that time, helping them to four consecutive Serie A titles. He also won two Coppa Italias and two Supercoppa Italiana before returning to Old Trafford in an €105 million deal in 2016.
The midfielder is now out of contract next summer and several reports are linking him with a return to Turin. His agent Mino Raiola has also claimed that Pogba could return to Juventus next summer.
Pogba's arrival would definitely provide the much-needed spark that is currently lacking in Juventus' midfield. If Pogba does become a free agent next summer, he will definitely be at the top of Juventus' shopping list. However, it remains to be seen if they still have the kind of pulling power to attract him to the club.
