Juventus Should End Pursuit of Rolando and Bring Daniele Rugani to Turin

At first glance, the Juventus defence appears to be in excellent shape, conceding just eight goals in their opening 17 Serie A games this season. With no fewer than 10 clean sheets in those fixtures, Gigi Buffon can reflect on a fine start to the campaign, the club captain clearly in superb form.

He has added a further three shutouts in the Champions League, yet problems in the Bianconeri back line have been laid bare in recent weeks. A fine display by the goalkeeper in the Super Cup—reviewed here—was undone by two goals from Gonzalo Higuain and some poorly taken penalties from his team-mates.

Then came Tuesday’s draw with Inter, a run from Mauro Icardi highlighting the distinct lack of pace in central defence. That issue was discussed in depth in this column, and the club appear to be well aware of the need to reinforce now the transfer window has reopened.

“I’ve spoken with the club and we have some very clear ideas,” Massimiliano Allegri told a press conference on Monday, per Football Italia. The coach added that “reinforcing Juventus isn't a simple task” before admitting that “it's not a secret, we're looking for an offensive playmaker and a defender.”

Debate has raged over the attacking options, with Xherdan Shaqiri and Wesley Sneijder linked with a move to Turin to fill that void, per James Horncastle of ESPN. Further back, it seems Rolando of FC Porto is the prime target, with Gianluca Di Marzio revealing on his website that the two sides have continued to discuss a deal for the defender.

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The 29-year-old has recent experience of Serie A, spending last season with Inter and making 29 league appearances. Just one of those came as a substitute, and according to statistics from WhoScored.com, he averaged 2.9 tackles, 2.1 interceptions and 4.7 clearances per game.

He would appear to be a good fit for Juventus, who need cover for the continued absence of the injured Andrea Barzagli. The veteran has yet to make an appearance this term, and there appears to be no timetable for his return to the side.

It is his prolonged time on the sidelines that has caused this pressing need for reinforcements, but the club may have a better alternative to Rolando closer to home. Indeed, with Porto believed to be asking for around €5.5 million for the player, according to the latest reports (h/t Football Italia), another defender may provide a much better option.

Already owned by Juventus, Daniele Rugani is currently enjoying an impressive debut top-flight campaign with Empoli. The 20-year-old joined the Bianconeri in the summer of 2012, spending a year in the club’s youth sector before returning to the Tuscan club last season.

Playing a major role in their promotion to Serie A, he has made the step up comfortably and continued to impress, earning a call up to the Italy squad in November. Standing 6'2" tall, Rugani has clearly been blessed with the perfect attributes to play at the heart of defence.

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Able to compete physically because of his solid build, impressive quickness and superb aerial ability, the Lucca native has rapidly improved his technical skills over the past two seasons. Only three defenders—Giulio Migliaccio (4.9), Lorenzo Tonelli (3.7) and Nemanja Vidic (3.7)—have won more aerial duels per game than Rugani (3.1) in Serie A this season, per to WhoScored.com.

He is equally comfortable on the ball, with the same source showing he has completed 91.1 per cent of his pass attempts this term. The player himself is aware the Bianconeri are monitoring his progress, discussing the possibility of a return to Turin with the UEFA website last month.

“Honestly, I’m honoured that they’re paying attention to me,” Rugani said (h/t Football Italia). “That said, I’m only 20 years old and I still have a lot to prove. I hope one day to be good enough, but first I have to do a lot more work.”

That attitude would serve him well, and at nine years younger, he clearly offers the Bianconeri a much better long-term alternative than Rolando. Bringing him back to the club would also be a positive step in terms of developing young talent, a major factor in helping to keep financial outlay at a minimum while still making vital improvements.