Mario Mandzukic, Juventus Agree to Contract Extension Until 2021
Mario Mandzukic has become the latest Juventus star to agree to a contract extension, as the Bianconeri have announced he has committed his future to the club until 2021.
The Serie A champions celebrated the announcement with a short video:
Mandzukic became the second Juventus player to renew his contract in the past week, with Daniele Rugani committing his future to the club in late March.
The 32-year-old moved to Turin in 2015 after a productive spell with Atletico Madrid and quickly became a vital part of the team's attack. He has made over 100 appearances for the Bianconeri since, pairing with several different forwards.
His partnership with Gonzalo Higuain was a strong one, but he has really hit his stride playing alongside Cristiano Ronaldo. The two form a potent aerial attack, giving their team-mates two excellent targets for crosses.
The Croatian has scored eight goals in Serie A this season and is on pace for his first campaign with double-digit goals since his first in Turin. While he's not a striker who scores frequently, he has a tendency to reserve his goals for the biggest moments; this season he has netted against the likes of Napoli, AC Milan, Roma, Inter Milan, Valencia and Lazio.
He has yet to find the back of the net in 2019—a worrying trend—but has found other ways to contribute. In his most recent outing, against Empoli, Mandzukic delivered this perfect assist for Moise Kean, in what turned out to be the only goal of the match:
Mandzukic's playing time is likely to decline steadily in the coming years, with Kean making a name for himself and taking Serie A by storm. His versatility and high work rate remain a major asset, however, and there will be plenty of opportunities available to the former Croatia international.
He'll be crucial to the team's plans for the rest of the current campaign, as Ronaldo remains sidelined due to injury ahead of the all-important UEFA Champions League clash with Ajax on Wednesday.
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