Why Locatelli deal is a masterclass in every sense ?

On August 18 2021, Juventus announced the signing of Locatelli on an initial two-year loan, with Juventus holding an obligation to then purchase the player for €25 million payable over three years plus €12.5 million in potential add-ons. The deal which took months to culminate was finally signed to the joy of Bianconeri fans. I have decided to take a look at why the deal was nothing but absolute brilliance.

No involvement of youth players

At the beginning of contact between Sassuolo and Juventus, according to reports the Neroverdi asked to include young players in the deal. The likes of Fagioli and Drăgușin were doing rounds on the internet as prospective players that could go the otherway if we sign Locatelli. But eventually Locatelli signed for us and we didn’t lose any young talent. The youth is a very significant part of a club’s foundation, especially a club like Juventus who is going through a rebuild. So not losing our wonderboys who definitely have a lot of a potential is an achievement. A world class player was added to the squad without disturbing the balance of the future.

The delay

While most of the fans were losing their head over the deal taking months to complete, in reality the delay was a boon for us. Cherubini was successful in closing the deal on his own terms. If the club had tried to sign him in the starting phase without any negotiations, Sassuolo wouldn’t have agreed to the demands. It took months of contact, meetings every week and relentless pursue to convince Carnaveli on our terms. Therefore Juve delayed the deal not because they didn’t have control but because they were in the driving seat all along.

Bargain

If we calculate, Locatelli cost us €37.5 Million approximately. And in a world where players like Grealish and Maguire are being sold at overpriced rate, signing the Euro Winner for that price is just unbelievable. The Italian was absolutely phenomenal for club and country this season and given he is just 23-years-of-age , the bianconeri have hit the jackpot. Moreover since Juve have acquired Locatelli on an additional two-year loan through 2023, they wouldn’t have to pay a fee in this window. NOT A SINGLE PENNY. Federico Cherubini ladies and gentlemen. Take a bow. This is sensational.

Locatelli won hearts

It is no lie that Locatelli’s patience was tested at every step of the way in the transfer window. With Juventus taking months to conclude the deal and Arsenal knocking on the door with more money than his actual price, Loca was put through so much pressure. But the player didn’t give up and wasn’t swayed by anyone. He was committed to his dream of playing for the old lady and waited for us like a woman waits for her lover to return from war. Before my readers complain about me exaggerating, I would like to clarify that the past few months have been nothing short of a war. It was filled with so much tension and chaos while Sassuolo CEO played the role of enemy to utter perfection. But we were victorious and Locatelli perseverance was rewarded. If it wasn’t for the delay, we would have never known how much Loca loved Juventus. Even before signing for Juventus, Manuel stole the hearts of the entire fanbase by not giving up on his love for the old lady. He worked exceptionally hard for his childhood dream and now he’s living it.

Conclusion

No matter how many times, the fans went crazy over the course of this summer, in the end all the prayers were answered. A signing that is favorable to us in every aspect, was made. And the Juve management reminded the footballing world why we are one of the most successfully run club in the world.