On October 24, 2014, Paul Pogba put pen to paper in a deal which has extended his tenure at the club till 2019. The young French midfielder arrived on a free transfer from Manchester United in 2012 and has proven to be one of the brightest talents in world football. The top brass at Juventus have spent much of the summer shunning interest from other clubs, namely Manchester United, and this deal is expected to add some closure to the conversation.
What it also does is open up another can of worms. Some cynics believe that this extension is to ensure that Juventus are handsomely paid in case Pogba decides to swap shirts. Or, it’s intended to hedge the one player they would like to retain if matters evolve into a bidding war. The other player in question is none other than the club’s powerhouse midfielder: Arturo Vidal.
Since arriving from Bayer Leverkuson for €10.5 million in 2011, Vidal has spectacularly developed to become one of the best central midfielders in the world. This form helped him earn a contract extension until 2017 with talk of a further extension until 2018. However, the current Juventus management know better than to put all their eggs in one basket.
Added to the depth in squad and the meteoric rise of Pogba’s stature within the club, Vidal’s lingering knee injury most certainly has played it’s part in heightening the doubt surrounding his future. Manchester United came knocking in the summer but Juventus held onto their resolve, not yielding to an alleged €50 million offer. Giuseppe Marotta might presently be regretting that decision.
Vidal’s industry has never been put in question, but the engine might have taken a beating. Going into the World Cup, Vidal’s fitness hardly inspired confidence, yet he was played in Brazil, which might have compounded the problem. As of today, Vidal’s trademark reliability is being put under the microscope and in the backdrop of a plausibly plummeting market value. At 27, he is in the prime of his career with a good five years left in those legs, especially given the type of player he is. But, does the tarrying knee injury gradually chip at that time-frame, reducing it bit-by-bit every time he goes out on a limp?
Juventus have demonstrated tremendous foresight. Be it their proactive decision to build their own stadium while the rest of Italy played within crumbling stadia, or the club’s fantastic scouting system which ties down superlative talents of the next generation. It is hard to expect a team of suits with such foresight to deliberately overlook the obvious. They proudly uphold a self-sustaining model of financial efficiency, part of which might predictably involve cashing in on a crocked asset at the most appointed and most opportune time.
This year, not only has Vidal been rested for Juventus’ crucial Champions League group games, but so has Pogba. Last week, the Frenchman was rested ahead of their important return fixture against Olympiakos, whereas Vidal started against Empoli. Massimiliano Allegri’s squad management may in fact hint at change in status between the two Juventus midfielders.
In short, Serie A, the club and its fans should prepare to watch one of the best midfielders in the world depart Turin at the end of the season.
Follow Rajath Kumar on Twitter: @rajathkumar. You can read his work on his AC Milan blog “Milan and Me; The Love Affair” — http://rajaththemilanista.wordpress.com/
