Juventus Pursue New Striker as Spalletti Targets Kolo Muani
Juventus took the points against Frosinone. They did not take their chances. And that, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport, has pushed the club back into the transfer market with urgency.
Luciano Spalletti walked away from the narrow win visibly irritated, his mood shaped less by the result than by the avalanche of missed opportunities. The long-standing question around the central striker role has flared up again, exposing an issue the club thought it had already addressed.
The Bianconeri have been here before. Failed pursuits of Lois Openda and Jonathan David left scars and a sense that the squad never quite found its reference point in the box. Now, with the window closing in, the search for a reliable number nine has become a priority at Continassa, and not a subtle one.
Spalletti’s warning to Kolo Muani
At the centre of the storm sits Randal Kolo Muani. The Frenchman, signed for a significant fee and expected to lead the line, produced a wasteful display against Frosinone that repeatedly stalled Juventus attacks.
Spalletti did not shield him. He went straight for the point.
"Randal also needs to realise that if he hasn't been playing for two years, there's a reason why," the coach said, a stark public reminder that reputation and transfer fees do not guarantee minutes. The message was clear: the standard must rise, and quickly.
Kolo Muani’s inability to convert clear openings has sharpened the debate around his role. Juventus need a penalty-box presence who dominates physically, attacks crosses, and turns half-chances into goals. Right now, Spalletti does not see that profile in his current starter.
Sorloth at the top of the list
That is why attention has turned decisively toward Alexander Sorloth. The Atletico Madrid striker fits the mould Spalletti craves: tall, powerful, and relentlessly productive. The Norwegian has hit 20 or more goals in each of his last three seasons, a level of consistency that has caught Juventus’ eye.
La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Juventus have ramped up work on a possible swap deal. The idea on the table: Nico Gonzalez heading to Madrid, Sorloth coming the other way. The winger is understood to be open to the move, which gives the operation a realistic framework if the clubs can agree on valuations.
Sorloth would offer exactly what Spalletti has been missing – a classic number nine who lives between the posts, occupies centre-backs, and frees up space for the creative players around him. It is no coincidence his name sits at the top of the list.
Zirkzee the alternative
There is a Plan B. Or perhaps better said, a Plan Different.
Manchester United’s Joshua Zirkzee remains an option late in the window. The Dutch forward brings a contrasting profile: more creative, more inclined to drift, link play, and operate between the lines rather than pinning defenders in the box.
He is not the same type of penalty-area focal point as Sorloth, but his technical quality and ability to knit attacks together still appeal to the Juventus hierarchy. If negotiations for Sorloth stall, Zirkzee could quickly move to the forefront of discussions.
Decision time in Turin
The clock is ticking. With the summer market heading into its final stretch, Juventus cannot afford hesitation. Spalletti wants clarity. The new leadership wants a squad capable of breaking down organised, deep-lying defences over the course of a long season.
Inside the club, a proven goalscorer is viewed as the final structural piece of this team. Someone to turn dominance into scorelines that reflect it. Someone to ensure that nights like the one against Frosinone do not become a recurring theme.
Sorloth or Zirkzee. Power in the box or craft between the lines. Whichever path Juventus choose in the coming days will define the shape – and the threat – of their attack when the real battles begin.
