Serie A: Juventus Using Young Talent For the Wrong Reasons

For a team who wants to emphasize keeping their young talent, it has been a confusing transfer season for the Juventus management.

After their demotion to Serie B in 2006, the Juve squad was filled with younger players after the departure of Fabio Cannavaro, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Gianluca Zambrotta, Adrian Mutu, and Patrick Vieira.

Players like striker Raffaele Palladino, goalkeeper Antonio Mirante, midfielders Claudio Marchisio, Sebastian Giovinco, and Paolo De Ceglie made their presence known after all starring for the Juve primavera side.

However, since Juve have returned to Serie A after their one year absence, the younger players seem to be more of a bargaining chip than actually playing a role for the club. Juve Sporting Director Alessio Secco, who took over from Luciano Moggi after the 2006 match-fixing scandal, has done nothing to improve his reputation with fans by dangling young players in exchange for more experienced talent.

In January, Secco shipped out defender Domenico Criscito within the first few days of the transfer window. Fittingly, just days after Criscito's departure, the Juve backline was ravaged by injuries.

When Juve signed striker Amauri from Palermo in June, midfielder Antonio Nocerino, who is currently the captain of the Italy U-21 team, and striker Davide Lanzafame were also included in the deal. Nocerino was sold to Palermo, while Lanzafame joined in a co-ownership agreement.

However, it was rumored amongst the Italian media that Juve might have been willing to part ways with Giovinco, the crown jewel of the Juve youth system and called by some "the Italian Messi," who was quite impressive after spending this past season on loan with Empoli.

While Juve did bring back De Ceglie, who was with AC Sienna on a co-ownership deal, for €3.5 million, it seems that more Juve youngsters are going out for good than staying in.

Hopefully for fans, the dismissal of young talent ended today, when Juve agreed to a co-ownership deal for Palladino, who is regarded as one of Italy's best young talents, with Genoa C.F.C. Palladino had been looking for more regular playing time after being stuck behind Alessandro Del Piero, David Trezeguet, Vincenzo Iaquinta, and Amauri in the pecking order.

However, for the most part, Secco uses these kids as bargaining chips. Even though they aren't proven at the highest level, there is only one way to find out... let them play. Understandably, this is Juventus, one of the most storied clubs in Europe and the world. But when Moggi was in charge, the young talent stayed at home.

Obviously the club had more money five years ago, but the blueprint was there. Loan out the young talent for a season or two after their youth team participation and then bring them back to base and let them play. But knowing the ways of Secco, the wheeling and dealing is certainly not over.

And hopefully for both fans and the team, no other young players will be sacrificed in the process.