During this transfer window, Sassuolo midfielder Manuel Locatelli is one of the most sought-after players, with major interest from big clubs like Arsenal, Juventus, Real Madrid, and Atletico Madrid. The Italy international has been sensational this season for his club and country.
He helped his Sassuolo side finish 8th in Serie A by scoring 3 times and assisting 4 times in 34 matches by playing in the midfield. He is now set to play in the EURO 2020’s final for Italy after defeating Spain in the Semi-Finals on penalties and can potentially win the whole tournament.
Sassuolo’s sporting director, Giovanni Carnevali, stated that Arsenal has already bid for Manuel Locatelli, but Juventus remains the favourite to sign him because Locatelli wants to join Juventus. In this article, we will examine the role Manuel Locatelli played for his club side, Sassuolo, and his international side, Italy. Then, we will predict how Juventus’s new head coach, Massimiliano Allegri, can use his talent.
Manuel Locatelli’s Role for Sassuolo
Manuel Locatelli played as one of the double pivots in Roberto De Zerbi’s favoured 4-2-3-1 system. He was the team’s hub and was responsible for sticking his team together. His high work ethic and powerful engine allowed him to easily get up and down the field. He has the energy to go deeper if his team cannot progress the ball but also has the license to help in the attack as De Zerbi’s fullbacks used to stay deeper, allowing the double pivot to advance.
Manuel Locatelli’s Role for Italy
Manuel Locatelli played a much more attacking and creative role for his international team. He was deployed as one of the two floating midfielders just ahead of the single pivot in Roberto Mancini’s preferred 4-3-3 formation. He showed his creative masterclass playing in this position by scoring two goals in four games and helping his country to reach the final of EURO 2020 by defeating Spain on penalties.
Check out the report for Italy’s Semi-Final game against Spain here.
Where will he play for Juventus?
Embed from Getty ImagesFrom the above data, we can conclude that Manuel Locatelli is an extremely talented and versatile player who can affect the game’s attacking and defensive aspects at a very high level. He will probably play as one of the double pivots in Massimiliano Allegri’s 4-2-3-1 system, which he used in his last spell at Juventus.
Andrea Pirlo’s midfield at Juventus often underperformed and faced criticism for its lack of quality.
Introducing Manuel Locatelli to the team will provide much-needed creativity in the midfield without sacrificing the team’s defence. He can play as a double pivot alongside Arthur Melo if Juventus is against weaker sides, as this will provide them with a much more attacking team. He can pair with Rodrigo Bentancur or Adrien Rabiot against stronger sides to provide defensive solidity.