Juventus Target Premier League Striker Mateta for Attack Reshape
Juventus have made it clear what they want up front: size, presence, and a centre-forward who can bully defenders as much as beat them. According to reports from Italy, the club are scouring the Premier League for exactly that profile as Luciano Spalletti looks to reshape his attack for the new season.
Joshua Zirkzee has been floated as one option, but he is far from the only name on the table. Sport director Frederic Massara is running a wide search, testing the market and weighing up which striker can give the Bianconeri a more direct, physical edge in the final third.
Mateta back in the frame
Into that picture steps Jean-Philippe Mateta.
La Gazzetta dello Sport report that the Crystal Palace forward has re-emerged as a serious target after offering his services to Juventus. Under contract at Selhurst Park until June 2027, the Frenchman is understood to be open to a new challenge, especially with a managerial change altering the landscape at Palace.
Juventus have not rushed in. They are tracking his situation, keeping him firmly on a shortlist that also includes several younger attacking options across Europe. But Mateta’s profile – tall, robust, and Premier League-tested – fits neatly with the physical template Spalletti is thought to be seeking.
Young forwards on the radar
Mateta is not the only name being studied in detail.
Juventus have been keeping close tabs on a cluster of emerging European forwards as they look to deepen their attacking pool. Among the players followed are Nottingham Forest’s Arnaud Kalimuendo and Newcastle United’s Nick Woltemade, both of whom have attracted interest from other major clubs, including Napoli.
The competition at that level is fierce. Any move has to hit multiple targets at once: age, upside, tactical fit, and, crucially, cost. For Massara and his team, the equation is not just about talent. It is about threading the needle between opportunity and financial reality.
Outgoings will decide everything
And that is where the real bottleneck lies.
Before Juventus can commit to a new striker, they must clear space – on the wage bill and in the dressing room. The club still need to finalise key exits, with the departure of Canadian forward Jonathan David described as a fundamental step before they can accelerate for any incoming deal.
Until those outgoings are resolved, every conversation about Mateta, Kalimuendo, Woltemade or any other forward remains conditional. The interest is real. The need is obvious. The timing, though, will be dictated by who leaves, how quickly, and for how much.
The window is ticking towards its final stretch. Juventus know that one decisive sale could unlock the move for the powerful No. 9 they have been chasing – and shape the look of Spalletti’s attack for the season ahead.
