Juventus Search for New No 9 Intensifies with Premier League Targets

Juventus have made their intentions clear for the new season: they want a centre-forward with presence, weight and edge. A striker who can play with his back to goal, fight defenders, and give Luciano Spalletti a more direct route when the intricate patterns dry up.

According to reports from Italy, the club have widened their search and are now trawling the Premier League for that profile. Joshua Zirkzee has been studied, admired even, but he is only one name in a much broader hunt. Sport director Frederic Massara is picking through the market carefully, aware that this signing has to change the feel of the attack, not just the numbers on the squad list.

Mateta back in the frame

Into that context steps Jean-Philippe Mateta.

La Gazzetta dello Sport report that the Crystal Palace striker has pushed himself back into Juventus’ thoughts after offering his services to the Turin club. Under contract at Selhurst Park until June 2027, the Frenchman is understood to be open to a new challenge, especially after the recent managerial change in south London altered the outlook at Palace.

Juventus have not rushed. They are tracking Mateta’s situation, weighing his physical profile, penalty-box instincts and Premier League experience against other options on the table. For Spalletti, a player of Mateta’s build would add a different dimension to a forward line that still needs more bite in the area.

Young forwards on the radar

Mateta is not the only name under serious consideration.

The Bianconeri have been following several young European forwards, looking not just for a starter but for depth that can grow into a bigger role. Nottingham Forest’s Arnaud Kalimuendo and Newcastle United’s Nick Woltemade are among the players attracting attention from top clubs, with Napoli also watching developments around them.

Juventus sit in that same queue, but with stricter conditions. Every potential move is being run through the filter of budget and squad balance. Fees, wages, and the number of non-homegrown players already in the dressing room all matter. One wrong move now could block a more important signing later in the window.

The pressure is rising, but the club know they cannot simply buy their way out of it.

Outgoings before the green light

There is another hard line in this story: nobody significant comes in until someone important goes out.

Before Juventus can finalise any attacking arrival, they must unlock exits to create room in both the squad and the wage bill. The departure of Canadian forward Jonathan David is viewed as a key step in that process, a necessary move to free up the resources needed to push ahead for a new No 9.

The clock is ticking on the transfer window, and the margin for error is shrinking. Massara and his team now walk a tightrope between opportunity and restraint, knowing that one decisive sale could trigger the chain reaction that delivers Spalletti the powerful centre-forward he wants.

The question is simple: will Juventus clear the decks in time to land the striker who can redefine their attack for the season ahead?