Juventus Urgently Seeks New Centre-Forward

Juventus’ search for a centre-forward has flared back into life, and this time it feels urgent.

La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that the club have thrown themselves back into the market for a number nine after another wasteful attacking display, this one in a laboured win over Frosinone that left Luciano Spalletti simmering on the touchline. The three points were banked. The doubts up front were not.

Those doubts are not new. Juventus have already stumbled in previous attempts to land a reliable spearhead, running into dead ends with targets such as Lois Openda and Jonathan David. With the window edging towards its close, that lingering problem has turned into a flashing red light for the club’s new hierarchy.

Spalletti’s patience snaps with Kolo Muani

Randal Kolo Muani found himself squarely in the firing line after Frosinone. The Frenchman, signed for a hefty fee and expected to lead the line, squandered a string of clear chances that repeatedly broke Juventus’ attacking rhythm and kept the game far tighter than it should have been.

Spalletti did not sugar-coat his assessment. He delivered a stark reminder of standards in his post-match comments.

“Randal also needs to realise that if he hasn't been playing for two years, there's a reason why,” the coach said, a blunt warning wrapped in a demand for more intensity and precision from the former Paris Saint-Germain forward.

The message was unmistakable: reputation and transfer fee no longer shield anyone in this Juventus side. Not in that position. Not with this coach.

Sorloth at the top of the list

What Spalletti wants now is clear: a physically dominant, penalty-box striker. Someone who lives between the posts and punishes half-chances. His preferred answer is Alexander Sorloth.

The Atletico Madrid forward has hit 20 or more goals in each of his last three seasons, a level of consistent output Juventus have been missing through the middle. On paper, he ticks every box for the “classic” number nine Spalletti is pushing for – aerial presence, strength, and a ruthless streak in front of goal.

Work at Continassa has intensified around a possible deal. Juventus are exploring a swap that would send Nico Gonzalez to Madrid, with the winger understood to be open to the move. That willingness could prove decisive if Atletico show the same enthusiasm for the exchange.

Zirkzee the alternative

If Sorloth proves too complex or too costly, there is a different route on the table. Manchester United’s Joshua Zirkzee remains a live, late-window option.

He is not, however, a like-for-like alternative. Zirkzee offers guile and link-up play, a more creative, roaming profile that contrasts sharply with Sorloth’s penalty-box authority. Choosing him would reshape how Juventus attack, not simply plug a gap.

That contrast underlines the crossroads Juventus now face: double down on Spalletti’s demand for a pure finisher, or lean into a more fluid, interchanging front line.

What is not in doubt is the timing.

As the clock runs down on the summer market, Juventus have little margin left for hesitation. Inside the club, landing a proven goalscorer is seen as the final major piece required to unlock deep, compact defences over a long season.

Spalletti has made his stance unmistakable. The squad needs a real nine. The board must deliver one.

In the coming days, Juventus will either walk into the new campaign with a reshaped attack built around a new focal point, or they will head into the storm still searching for the striker who can turn their coach’s fury into goals.