Juventus: 5 Alternatives to Nicklas Bendtner in the January Transfer Window

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Juventus signing Nicklas Bendtner on loan from Arsenal has flop written all over it—at least, it's only on loan.

Beppe Marotta was blunt in his views about Bendtner: "Clearly he isn't the top player we wanted, but we needed reinforcements."

Sound familiar? That's basically the same thing Marotta said about Mirko Vučinić: "Vucinic is someone we like and his arrival wouldn’t block that of a top player."

What happened is Juve couldn't sign a quality forward during the summer transfer window, so they panicked and signed Bendtner on loan.

Here are five better forwards than Bendtner that Juve should look to sign during the January transfer window.

Opining on Juventus’ Loan Signing of Nicklas Bendtner

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To sum up the consensus opinion among Juventus supporters regarding the loan deal for Nicklas Bendtner, watch this and this.

The problem with Bendtner is his refusal to put in the hard yards. He thinks he's George Best, and whilst the Dane isn't a hack, he doesn't have the natural talent to take such a nonchalant perspective to football. He hasn't developed a whole lot since his loan spell at Birmingham City, which tells you how much loafing he has done.

What he has enhanced is his ego, which rivals El Hadji Diouf in terms of conceitedness.

Sports psychologist Jacques Crevoisier revealed to Swedish magazine Offside (via espn.co.uk) what we all suspected of Bendtner:

One of the categories is called "self perceived competence," i.e. how good the player himself thinks he is. On a scale up to nine, Bendtner got 10! We have never seen that before. Pat Rice [Arsenal's then-assistant manager] was sitting next to me and couldn't stop laughing.

When Bendtner misses a chance, he is always genuinely convinced that it wasn't his fault. You might say that's a problem, and to a certain degree it can be. But you can also view it as this guy has a remarkable ability to come back after set-backs.

Even when Bendtner has played consistent first-team football, his finishing isn't anything special. 7.6 shots per goal last season for Sunderland and 8.8 shots per goal in the 2009-10 season.

It's irrelevant if he started most of his games out wide for Arsenal because Stuttgart's Martin Harnik averaged 3.5 shots per goal from a wide right position last season.

If Beppe Marotta wanted to make a left-field decision, he shouldn't have sold 50 percent of Ciro Immobile's rights to Genoa, which would have allowed Immobile to play for Juve this season.

5. Álvaro Negredo, Sevilla, 27 Years Old

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If Álvaro Negredo didn't suffer a tear in his left muscle, he probably would've scored 20 goals last season, which would have been back-to-back seasons of 20+ goals.

In his last three games against Real Madrid, he has scored three times, so he doesn't shy away from the big games.

His only problem is penalties because he has a tendency to choke from 12 yards out.

4. Roberto Soldado, Valencia, 27 Years Old

David Ramos/Getty Images

What Roberto Soldado gives you is consistency.

Throughout his career at Real Madrid B, Osasuna, Getafe, Valencia and the Spanish youth teams, he has always scored.

Is he an upgrade from Mirko Vučinić, Alessandro Matri and Fabio Quagliarella? Yes.

3. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Saint-Étienne, 23 Years Old

Michael Steele/Getty Images

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is a difference maker, he has that "it-factor" and he could become one of the best forwards in the world.

AC Milan's decision to not give Aubameyang a fair chance could haunt them like Juventus' decision to sell Thierry Henry.

Last season, Aubameyang inspired Gabon at the 2012 African Cup of Nations and had some exceptional games for Saint-Étienne.

This season, he has scored three goals and provided an assist in four games.

2. Fernando Llorente, Athletic Bilbao, 27 Years Old

Jasper Juinen/Getty Images

All this talk of Juventus not being able to sign Fernando Llorente is misguided.

Can Juve meet his €36 million release clause? No. When does Llorente's contract expire? End of this season. Does he want to stay with Athletic Bilbao? No.

Bilbao are not in the power position, so if Llorente hasn't flip-flopped going into the January transfer window, the Basque club will look to sell him at a fee substantially lower than his release clause rather than let him leave on a Bosman.

He's an elite forward, who's a beast in the air and is fine with the ball at his feet. 

1. Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, Schalke, 29 Years Old

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Klaas-Jan Huntelaar can't dribble, he can't tackle, he isn't an exceptional passer, but he can prolifically poach goals like his compatriot Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Last season, Huntelaar accomplished something Van Nistelrooy never did—score 48 goals in a season.

With Huntelaar still refusing to extend his contract, which expires at the end of this season, Juventus could sign him at a cut-price in January.

 

Please read Top 20 January Transfer Window Targets

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