Analysing Potential Juventus Move for Reported Transfer Target Felipe Anderson

The news that Juventus seem set to lose Arturo Vidal to Bayern Munich—as reported by BBC Sport—came as something of a surprise, but should that transfer be completed, the Bianconeri appear determined to quickly reinvest any fee they would receive.

Selling the Chilean would obviously be a huge blow to the team, but potential targets such as Mario Gotze or Schalke’s Julian Draxler (h/t Football Italia) hint at a change in playing style next season. Over the weekend, a surprising name was added to that list as Max Nerozzi of La Stampa linked Juventus with Felipe Anderson of Lazio (h/t JuveFC.com), a revelation which only serves to compound the theory.

That tactical shift is something Massimiliano Allegri hinted at earlier in the summer, the coach explaining his vision of the team in 2015/16 to La Repubblica. “Without Carlos Tevez and Andrea Pirlo, Juve will have to change and experiment with new solutions,” he said (h/t Football Italia). “I’d like someone able to invent football without being banal, the wild card variable in an otherwise balanced tactical plan.”

Anderson—having played a major role in Lazio’s impressive third-place finish last term—would almost certainly provide that. The 22-year-old arrived in the Italian capital two years ago, but it took the former Santos star time to settle into life on the peninsula, and the arrival of Stefano Pioli had a remarkable impact on his play.

WhoScored.com

He thrived under the new coach, proving himself to be excellent on both flanks while also fully capable of playing in a role behind the strikers. As the graphic above—courtesy of WhoScored.com—shows, his 32 Serie A appearances were shared across a variety of positions, making him an ideal candidate for Allegri’s Juventus.

As he did so, Anderson bagged 11 goals and seven assists, his performances in 2014/15 combining a wonderful blend of pace, skill and vision that can only be admired. According to statistics from Squawka.com, he completed a remarkable 102 of the 166 take-ons he attempted, a figure which showed just how often he used his ability to go beyond his marker.

Once he had created space, the Brazilian proved to be deadly accurate with both feet, the same source indicating he hit the target with 62 percent of his shots on goal. Playing against Juventus three times—including May’s Coppa Italia Final—the Lazio flyer won over key figures in the Bianconeri lineup.

Riccardo De Luca/Associated Press

“Felipe Anderson has grown exponentially and showed incredible skills, truly extraordinary and not just as a promising young player,” Giorgio Chiellini said at a press conference (h/t Football Italia) before the two clubs met in that showpiece event, adding that the Brazilian “really exploded on to the scene this season.”

A deal would likely be difficult, although should Lazio lose their Champions League play-off fixture next month, they could look to cash in on Anderson’s obviously high value. Already proven in Serie A, he would be a smart addition for a Juventus team who already enter the new campaign with concerns over cohesion.

That issue was discussed in this previous column, and Anderson’s ability—not to mention tactical flexibility—arguably make him a perfect candidate to complete the squad, while his current coach believes the best is yet to come from his impressive star.

"Felipe Anderson has enormous potential," Pioli told Tuttosport earlier this year (h/t Goal.com), adding that the Brazilian “is a young player who works incredibly hard. He can become a player who will be unstoppable for his opponents.”

Adding him to Allegri’s squad would clearly hand the 47-year-old that inventive talent he discussed, Felipe Anderson arguably possessing the exact skill set demanded by the Juve boss.