Juventus transfers: Another summer of "throwing money into a pond"?

Juventus spent 138 million euros in the summer 2026 transfer market to rebuild the team, yet the inherent issues at the club have not been fixed. The lingering question "When will Juve rise?" remains unanswered.

According to Gazzetta.it, Juventus spent over 96 million euros on new players, with major outlays including striker Randal Kolo Muani (€41.2 million from PSG), 18-year-old midfielder Kerim Alajbegovic (€32 million from Leverkusen), and 19-year-old forward Jeff Elkhator (€16.4 million from Genoa). Adding the €42.3 million buyout clause for striker Lois Openda, more than €138 million has left the club's budget, making Juve the biggest spender in Serie A so far, ahead of Como (€127 million) and Milan (€103 million).

Juventus buys as if they haven't bought anything.

That is the reality that sends chills down Juventus fans' spines. Another summer, the amount spent is enormous on paper, but in reality it's just like throwing a stone into a pond of duckweed—in the blink of an eye, it leaves no difference at all.

Kolo Muani is a contract worth anticipating. Juve's persistent pursuit over the past 15 months, along with a fee that could reach €50 million including bonuses, shows he will be an important factor in coach Luciano Spalletti's attack. But in reality, he is merely a replacement for Dusan Vlahovic, the striker Juve lost for free after his contract expired. Is Kolo Muani an upgrade on Vlahovic? Not sure. The only certainty is that Juve spent €50 million just to fill a gap, not to strengthen the team.

Similarly, winger Alajbegovic is a specialist at cutting inside from the flank, capable of deceiving opponents with his outstanding technique. But it should be remembered that in that role, Juventus already had Erdon Zhegrova, who was rated no less highly before joining a year ago. In theory, the Bosnian prodigy will give Spalletti more options to support the central striker (Kolo Muani or Jonathan David) as he can play on both wings and as an attacking midfielder. However, ultimately, this is still just an addition to increase flexibility rather than a key position that can define the playing style.

In the case of Openda, Juve has essentially "thrown money out the window". They gritted their teeth and spent over €42 million on a mandatory buyout, but then had to loan him to Lyon, receiving a mere €3.5 million in loan fees for one season with no buy option. Juve can only hope the Belgian striker performs well so they can sell him at a "loss cut" in the future.

The most highly rated contract, ironically, cost not a single euro to bring to the Allianz Stadium. That is right-back Zeki Celik, who arrived from Roma on a free transfer. The 29-year-old Turkish international has been one of the best and most consistent full-backs in Serie A for years, and this can be considered the only player who truly improves Juventus's quality, far more than Joao Mario.

The eternal questions.

In the recent decline over several seasons, one of the biggest weaknesses preventing Juventus from standing up again as expected is the midfield's lack of quality. No one has truly become a pillar, a master in the middle to control the game and dictate the style of play. Juve has not been without efforts to find solutions. They brought in Douglas Luiz, who was a force at Aston Villa earlier. Then came Teun Koopmeiners, the star of Atalanta. Both cost Juventus over €50 million, but they performed like €15 million players. At this point, Juve just wants to get rid of them at any price, but it's also very difficult.

Not only a midfield leader, but Juve has long lacked a true leader in the dressing room. Since Giorgio Chiellini retired, no one has had such courage and influence. As a result, no one steps up to boost the morale of teammates in the face of challenges and to pick them up after defeats. Everything is bland and does not show a united, cohesive collective. Not every team has a good leader, but winning teams always have leaders at the forefront.

In the remaining part of the summer transfer window, can Juventus find such a leader, or at least a top-tier midfielder to fix the inherent weakness that is the biggest obstacle preventing them from rising? The number one target is Franck Kessie, former midfielder of Atalanta and Milan, but as long as they haven't sold "deadweight" like Luiz or Koopmeiners, this task remains very difficult for "The Old Lady".