Juventus Seek Heavyweight No 9 as Mateta Eyes Turin Move
Juventus have gone back to basics in the transfer market: they want a centre-forward with presence, power and penalty-box teeth for Luciano Spalletti’s new-look attack.
According to reports in Italy, the club’s hierarchy, led on the market by sporting director Frederic Massara, has widened its search to the Premier League. Joshua Zirkzee has been studied and admired, but he is only one name in a growing file of options as the Bianconeri look for a striker who can attack crosses, run in behind and handle the physical grind of Serie A.
Mateta back on the Juve radar
Into that picture steps Jean-Philippe Mateta.
The Crystal Palace striker, under contract at Selhurst Park until June 2027, has re-emerged as a serious candidate after making it clear he would welcome a move to Turin, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport. With a managerial change at Palace reshaping plans in south London, the Frenchman is ready to listen to proposals and test himself at a higher level.
Juventus have not rushed. They are tracking Mateta’s situation, weighing his profile against other options, and studying the numbers. At 27, he offers a blend of experience and physicality that fits Spalletti’s demand for a more direct reference point in the box.
Young forwards under the microscope
Mateta is not the only forward under consideration.
Juventus have also been following several young European attackers as they look to deepen the squad and protect themselves for the future. Among the names monitored are Nottingham Forest’s Arnaud Kalimuendo and Newcastle United’s Nick Woltemade, both of whom are on the radar of other major clubs, including Napoli.
These are players with upside, with resale value, with the kind of athleticism modern top sides crave. But they are also players who come with a price. That is where the real battle begins for Massara and the Juventus board.
Balancing transfer fees, wages and squad slots has become as important as any tactical discussion. Every move now has to fit a strict financial framework. One wrong contract, one blocked pathway, and the club’s rebuild stalls.
Outgoings before the final push
There is another hard line in this story: Juventus cannot complete their attacking overhaul until they clear space.
The exit of Canadian forward Jonathan David is described as a key condition before new signings can be pushed over the line. His departure would free up both budget and a crucial attacking berth, giving the club room to move decisively rather than tentatively.
Until those outgoing deals are resolved, Juventus remain in a holding pattern: conversations, evaluations, offers prepared but not sent. The market is moving into its final, frantic stretch, when one sale can unlock a chain of transfers across Europe.
Juventus want to be ready when that moment comes. The question is simple and pressing: when the window slams shut, will Spalletti be looking at the penalty area and seeing Mateta, a rising talent like Kalimuendo or Woltemade, or the same old problem still unsolved?
