Juventus and the January Transfer Window: Is There Really a Need For a Big Move?

As Italy's Old Lady is flying high and about to take on rival Inter next weekend, it's hard to forget that there is also an important month that has bigger implications than just the final months of the season.

That, of course, is the January transfer window.

It's no secret that people feel that if Juventus want to be successful, not only in the Champions League but also in Serie A, they will need to spend big.

But with Juve currently one of the hottest teams in all of Europe, one must consider if bringing in a big-time superstar is really what the team needs.

And then there is the Italian media, who is never shy to float names out there that the club might or might not pursue when Jan. 1, 2009 rolls around.

No matter how many moves, if any, Sporting Director Alessio Secco makes; they will be put under the microscope.

And considering Secco's transfer failures in the past—defender Jean-Alain Boumsong and midfielders Sergio Almiron and Tiago Mendes—he will certainly have to hit one of the park to get the fans back on his side.

There are of course the players that the fans want to see signed, with Werder Bremen's attacking midfielder Diego atop the list. The Brazilian international has been linked with a move to Turin over the last 18 months since Juve were promoted back into Serie A.

However, while the fans will want Diego as long as he is not wearing black and white, how he will fit into manager Claudio Ranieri's 4-4-2 system is somewhat unclear. It's no secret that Ranieri prefers two defensive minded center midfielders in his starting squad and if Diego was brought into the mix, Ranieri would certainly have to change his tactics.

Even though there are still six weeks to go before the window opens, there are tons of names, other than Diego, being thrown out there by the press.

The latest one to be thrown out there is Schalke's Croatian midfielder Ivan Rakitic, who told Italian paper Tuttosport that, if the club signs him, he will doing everything possible to become "Juve's new Zidane."

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