INEOS told they bought a ‘master’ of his trade in summer; he’s now sorely missed by his previous manager

Fabio Capello has suggested one manager is struggling to navigate the season without a previous player at his disposal.

After Juventus oversaw a 0-0 draw with Napoli on Saturday, the ex-England boss claimed that Thiago Motta is feeling the absence of Manchester United’s summer recruit Joshua Zirkzee.

Motta also departed Bologna at the beginning of the transfer window, having been offered the chance to succeed Massimiliano Allegri in the dugout at the Allianz. He has yet to lose a game since his tenure began but has dropped points on more than one occasion, overseeing two wins and three draws.

As for Zirkzee, he got off to a dream start with the Red Devils – scoring a late winner on his debut in front of the Stretford End. However, he has yet to add to his tally in his subsequent outings – four league matches and a third-round Carabao Cup tie.

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Capello analyses Juventus stalemate

Capello attempted to dissect why Juventus were struggling under Motta thus far in his tenure and eventually settled on it being the absence of his former protegee.

“The Bianconeri are still too slow in circulating the ball and have little quality in the attacking midfield. Dusan Vlahovic is not Zirkzee. He is a penalty area bomber and not an exceptional maneuverer,” the ex-England boss said, per La Gazzetta dello Sport.

Former Italian international Riccardo Montolivo added: “Can he do Zirkzee’s job in Bologna? No, they are different players. Vlahovic does not have the ability to link the game. If he has a flaw, it is in the game with his back to the goal. That is, in defending the ball and linking with his teammate, things in which Zirkzee is a master.”