Juventus Urgently Seeks Centre-Forward Amidst Striker Struggles
Juventus’ search for a ruthless centre-forward is back on, and this time it feels urgent.
La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that the club have thrown themselves once more into the transfer market for a number nine, after another wasteful night in front of goal reopened old wounds. They beat Frosinone and took the three points, but Luciano Spalletti walked away irritated rather than relieved, haunted by a string of chances that went begging.
Those misses didn’t just cost Juventus control of the game. They dragged the whole debate about their central striker role back into the spotlight. The club have already stumbled in their attempts to solve the problem, running into difficulties in previous pursuits of Lois Openda and Jonathan David. With the window closing in, the margin for error is shrinking fast.
Spalletti’s warning to Kolo Muani
Randal Kolo Muani found himself squarely in the firing line.
The Frenchman, signed for a significant fee and expected to lead the line, turned in a performance against Frosinone that infuriated his coach. He squandered clear openings, repeatedly stalling Juventus’ attacking rhythm in a match that should have been put to bed long before the final whistle.
Spalletti didn’t sugarcoat it. He delivered a blunt message in public, making it clear that current standards are nowhere near enough for a Juventus striker.
“Randal also needs to realise that if he hasn't been playing for two years, there's a reason why,” he said, a line that cut through any lingering sense of protection for the former Paris Saint-Germain forward. It was both a warning and a challenge: improve quickly, or risk being pushed aside.
The frustration runs deeper than one off-night. Spalletti wants a focal point, a heavyweight presence in the box who can occupy defenders, dominate physically and finish with authority. Right now, he doesn’t see that profile in his squad.
Sorloth at the top of the list
That is why Alexander Sorloth has moved to the front of Juventus’ thinking.
The Atletico Madrid striker offers exactly what Spalletti craves: size, penalty-box aggression and, crucially, goals. The Norwegian has hit the 20-goal mark or better in each of his last three seasons, a level of consistency that immediately stands out in a market full of gambles.
Juventus have stepped up work at Continassa to explore a swap deal that would send Nico Gonzalez to Madrid. The winger is understood to be open to the move, giving the Bianconeri a potential bargaining chip as they try to prise Sorloth away before the deadline.
The appeal is obvious. Sorloth is a classic number nine, the kind around whom an entire attacking structure can be built. For a coach demanding more presence in the box, he looks like a tailor-made solution.
Zirkzee the alternative
There is, however, a different path on the table.
Manchester United’s Joshua Zirkzee remains a live option in the final days of the window, though he represents a very different idea of a centre-forward. The Dutchman drifts, links play, and creates as much as he finishes. His game is built on touch and combination play rather than sheer penalty-box power.
For Juventus, that contrast matters. Choosing Sorloth would mean doubling down on Spalletti’s desire for a traditional target man. Moving for Zirkzee would signal a shift towards a more fluid, creative front line, one that might still leave questions about pure, ruthless finishing inside the area.
Decision time in Turin
The clock is ticking. Juventus know they cannot drift into the heart of the season still debating their number nine.
Inside the club, landing a proven goalscorer is seen as the final structural piece, the addition that could turn territorial dominance into decisive wins against packed, stubborn defences. Spalletti has made his stance plain: he wants a striker who brings certainty, not another experiment.
Whether that certainty arrives in the form of Sorloth, or whether the club pivot late towards Zirkzee’s different skill set, will define the end of their summer. The next few days will tell if Juventus finally secure the forward to lead this project – or if the doubts up front follow them into the battles to come.
