Juventus improved by the transfer market, but with three major unknowns, including Spalletti: he must return to being the one from Napoli, not the one from Italy

Juventus' transfer market has gone through several key turning points: the confirmation of Spalletti despite failing to qualify for the Champions League, with the coach having signed a contract renewal until 2028 with Comolli in April, while Carnevali, who arrived in June, backed the decision to continue with Spalletti; the illusion vanished, because of missing out on the Champions League, that they could target major players of experience and quality (Alisson, Bernardo Silva, Lewandowski); the decision not to meet Vlahovic's contract demands and therefore do without him, and here there was probably a difference of opinion between the management and the manager, who would have wanted the Serbian back; the Kolo Muani saga, pursued for a year, then completed on a permanent deal for a significant fee, and finally needled by Spalletti after a missed chance in the first official match; the goalkeepers saga, with the fruitless pursuit, as well as Alisson, of Dibu Martinez, Svilar and Suzuki, before 'settling' for Vicario and Grabara; the difficult and disadvantageous loan departures of players coming off a dreadful season (Di Gregorio, David and Openda); the surprise names in attack, building to the arrivals of Ekhator, Alajbegovic and Woltemade.

The transfer window that has just closed (though keep an eye on possible departures in the next few hours to Turkey and Saudi Arabia, where the market is still open) has certainly left Juventus stronger in goal, with more quality options in defence (both centrally and out wide, with Lucumì and Celik), as well as plenty of quality and options in the attacking midfield area and on the flanks (and Nico Gonzalez's importance was immediately clear). The biggest doubts remain in the centre of the attack, where both Kolo Muani and Woltemade like to drift, and neither is the classic penalty-box centre-forward that Spalletti likes so much, and above all in midfield, where for years they have lacked a top-class deep-lying playmaker and a man capable of guaranteeing both creativity and work rate at the same time. The return of Douglas Luiz is a gamble (one that has, for now, started well), while the arrival of Sarr is a stop-gap solution after the Kessié setback.

A large part of Juventus's season, and with it the way this transfer window will be judged in a few months, will hinge on Spalletti's work. He must shake off the lingering after-effects of the failure with Italy, which still surface at times in his statements and decisions, and rediscover his best instincts, as he did with title-winning Napoli. It will also depend on whether a feeling develops between the coach and the club's hierarchy, between Spalletti's choices and those, in the market, of Carnevali and Massara.

SIGNINGS: Nico Gonzalez (f, Atletico Madrid), Douglas Luiz (m, Aston Villa), Rugani (d, Fiorentina), Ekhator (f, Genoa), Celik (d, Roma), Alajbegovic (f, Bayer Leverkusen), Kolo Muani (f, Paris Saint-Germain), Lucumí (d, Bologna), Vicario (gk, Tottenham), Grabara (gk, Wolfsburg), Sarr (m, Tottenham), Woltemade (f, Newcastle).

DEPARTURES: Holm (d, Bologna), Vlahovic (f, Besiktas), Kostic (m, PSV), Openda (f, Lyon), Rouhi (d, Carrarese), Pedro Felipe (d, Racing Santander), Adzic (m, Sassuolo), Joao Mario (d, Fiorentina), Arthur (m, contract termination), Di Gregorio (gk, Bournemouth), Perin (gk, Palermo), Miretti (m, Besiktas), David (f, Atletico Madrid).