Opinion: Juventus already have an alternative for Calafiori among their ranks

While every new campaign bears a sense of renewed excitement, this one feels particularly special for Juventus who are about to usher in the Motta/Giuntoli era.

The club’s Football director joined the Serie A giants last year, but was a mere bystander during his first campaign in Turin, observing his surroundings and reflecting on the future in the absence of genuine allies.

But following his reunion with his long-time right-hand man Giuseppe Pompilio and the arrival of Thiago Motta and his crew, Giuntoli has well and truly risen to power. He is currently shaping a team based on the football philosophy he shares with the club’s new head coach.

Inevitably, with new beginnings come major changes, which is why almost every playing department is being overhauled. Michele Di Gregorio has inherited the starting gloves, while the midfield already witnessed two new arrivals, and some resounding changes are being plotted in the attacking third.

Nevertheless, the department that could witness the biggest revolution is the defensive line.

Motta and his predecessor Max Allegri have very few common aspects when it comes to football tactics, and this is perfectly illustrated by their contrasting interpretations of the backline’s role.

While the Livorno native regarded the defense as a fortress to preserve clean sheets, the Italo-Brazilian views it as his first offensive line where his team’s build-up play is nurtured.

Hence, for Motta’s ideas to flourish, at least one excellent ball-playing central defender is required, someone who can carry the ball foward either through shrewd distribution, or simply with a courageous foray.

This is why Riccardo Calafiori absolutely thrived under the guidance of the 41-year-old at Bologna last season, and this is also why Motta has been keen to reunite with his pupil at Continassa.

Nevertheless, the sorrowful Emilians didn’t take the coach’s departure lightly, so they decided to deny him and Juventus of such a jolly reunion, preferring to do business with Arsenal instead.

This blow is forcing Giuntoli and company to search the market for an alternative, with Jean-Clair Todibo emerging as the new primary target.

But while signing the Nice centre-back wouldn’t hurt, perhaps Juventus already have the right profile at home, a ball-playing defender capable of interpreting the role Calafiori played last season in Motta’s tactical scheme.

The man we’re referring to is Tiago Djalo who remains something of a mystery in Turin despite arriving six months ago. The Bianconeri signed the Portuguese last January, usurping their arch-rivals Inter who were planning to bring him in as a free agent in June.

But due to an ACL injury suffered in March 2023, Allegri didn’t want to rush his debut. The 24-year-old eventually made his bow in the final round of the season under Paolo Montero’s watch, coming in as a second-half replacement against Monza.

While we only got to see a few flashes of the player, Djalo obviously possesses an elusive combination of strength, pace and technique, allowing him to dart forward and support his teammates in attack, and then track back to resume his original duties in defense.

Earlier this year, his former coaches at Sporting and Milan’s Primavera squad heaped praise on Tiago’s on-the-ball skills.

So while his reintegration into top-level football could require some patience, Juventus might have a genuine jewel in the rough in their squad, while we can’t ask for a better gem cutter than Motta to carve it into a diamond.