Juventus Pursue New Striker as Spalletti Criticizes Kolo Muani
Juventus walked away from Frosinone with three points. They did not walk away with peace of mind.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the performance has jolted the club back into the transfer market for a central striker, with old doubts about their number nine options roaring back to life. Luciano Spalletti’s side created enough to win comfortably; instead, they scraped through and left their coach simmering on the touchline at a string of squandered chances.
The win did nothing to calm a problem that has been lurking for months.
Spalletti’s warning to Kolo Muani
At the centre of the storm stands Randal Kolo Muani. Signed for a substantial fee and expected to lead the line, the Frenchman produced a wasteful display that repeatedly broke Juventus’ attacking rhythm.
Spalletti did not shield him. He went straight for the point.
“Randal also needs to realise that if he hasn't been playing for two years, there's a reason why,” the coach snapped after the match, making it clear that reputation and price tag no longer guarantee patience. The message was brutal, and deliberate: raise your level, or step aside.
Kolo Muani’s failure to convert clear openings against Frosinone has sharpened the focus on a long-standing issue. Juventus have already stumbled in their attempts to resolve the position, having run into difficulties in previous pursuits of Lois Openda and Jonathan David. With the window closing, they can no longer afford another misstep.
Sorloth at the top of the list
Spalletti wants presence. He wants muscle in the box. He wants a striker who lives off crosses and chaos in the penalty area.
That wish list has pushed Atletico Madrid forward Alexander Sorloth to the top of Juventus’ agenda. The Norwegian has hit 20 or more goals in each of his last three seasons, and his profile is exactly what the coach has been calling for: a classic number nine who occupies centre-backs and finishes moves, rather than drifting wide or dropping deep.
Work at Continassa has intensified around a possible swap deal. Juventus are exploring a move that would send winger Nico Gonzalez to Madrid, with the player understood to be open to the switch. The idea is simple: trade a wide option for the penalty-box reference point Spalletti craves.
Zirkzee the alternative
If Sorloth proves too complex or too costly, there is a different route on the table. Manchester United’s Joshua Zirkzee has emerged as a late-window option.
He is not a like-for-like alternative. Zirkzee offers creativity, link play and flair between the lines rather than Sorloth’s blunt force in the area. His style would reshape the way Juventus attack, tilting them towards a more fluid front line instead of a traditional target man.
That contrast underlines the crossroads the club now faces: double down on Spalletti’s demand for a pure finisher, or pivot towards a more hybrid forward and adjust the system around him.
Clock ticking on a decisive call
Inside the club, the verdict is clear: a proven goalscorer is the final major piece missing from the squad. Without one, Juventus risk repeating nights like Frosinone, where dominance on the ball failed to translate into control on the scoreboard.
As the summer window ticks into its final days, hesitation is no longer an option. The hierarchy must either deliver Sorloth, move decisively for Zirkzee, or accept that Kolo Muani will carry the burden into a season where every dropped point will be dissected.
Spalletti has drawn his line. The next signing will show whether Juventus match his ambition – or leave him to chase goals with a forward line he no longer fully trusts.
