❌ David not enough: Juve want Osimhen or Kolo, Vlahovic stalls 🤑
Weighing heavily on the club's finances is Dusan Vlahovic's enormous salary: from July 1st, the Serbian earns a whopping 12 million euros net per season. An unsustainable figure that Juve can no longer afford.
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The situation is clear: Vlahovic is out of the technical project, and his stay is paralyzing the incoming market. A breakthrough is needed, and it is needed quickly.
🆕 NAMES FOR THE POST-VLAHOVIC ERA
At the top of the Bianconeri's dream list remains Victor Osimhen. The Nigerian striker from Napoli, returning from a loan at Galatasaray, is on the market, but there is a huge obstacle: the 75 million euro clause does not apply to Italian clubs, and convincing De Laurentiis to negotiate has always been a near-impossible feat.
The most concrete alternative leads to Randal Kolo Muani. The Frenchman left a great impression during his loan at Juventus, but here too the path is uphill: PSG has already rejected the first offer for a loan with an option to buy. Everything is at a standstill, everything is blocked.
❌ VLAHOVIC BLOCKS EVERYTHING
The key to unlocking this gridlock has only one name: Dusan Vlahovic. Juventus has no more time to waste. The Serbian aims to stay until the contract expires in 2026 and then leave on a free transfer. But Juve cannot afford to wait.
According to Tuttosport, Comolli is evaluating all possible options. A decisive meeting with the player's agent, Darko Ristic, is scheduled for next week. It will be the face-to-face of truth.
💡 TWO POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS
Every scenario is on the table. There is even talk of a sensational consensual termination of the contract with a substantial severance package. Alternatively, a one-year bridge renewal could be considered to spread the salary and allow Vlahovic to find a new team on loan, playing consistently.
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Juventus has reached a crossroads: either Vlahovic packs his bags, or the market remains blocked. The feeling is that this time, the break might truly be definitive.
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.
📸 Alessandro Sabattini - 2025 Getty Images
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New York Times
35 minutes ago
- New York Times
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'Albert Einstein said that madness was doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result,' said Laurent Bonadei in a press conference before France's Nations League fixtures in late May. 'But I want different results, so I make different choices.' When the news broke on May 21 that France's head coach had omitted legendary captain Wendie Renard from the Nations League matches and, ultimately, the European Championship, everyone, including the players, was in shock. Advertisement The decision was 'almost impossible for them to accept', Bonadei said in his press conference the next day. 'I would understand if they were angry with me, if they were sad.' Bonadei phoned Renard — she has 168 caps — that Wednesday morning to inform the soon-to-be 35-year-old of the news. She was stunned. Renard said she only found out about not making the Euro squad when watching Bonadei's press conference in which he announced the list on June 5. 'It's the coach's decision, and I have to respect and accept it,' Renard said in an interview with France TV channel, La Martinique, Premiere. 'But it's incomprehensible. There is disbelief, injustice. I can wake up in the morning and look at myself in the mirror. I gave it my all.' In hindsight that decision may not have been the wisest. Centre-back Griege Mbock, his new captain, will miss the opening game against England on Saturday with a calf injury. Renard was not the only one who failed to make the cut. On the Tuesday evening, he told France's top goalscorer and most-capped player, Eugenie Le Sommer and San Diego Wave's Kenza Dali, they would also be omitted. Between them the trio have played 444 matches for France. Bonadei, who likes to be close to the squad and sends them messages of encouragement during difficult periods, has travelled to the United States, Saudi Arabia and other European countries to have in-person meetings with individuals. He said he had to be 'smart' and 'elegant' about the timing and did not want to disturb their domestic season — nor Le Sommer's birthday on the Sunday. Not one of the three players saw it coming. Bonadei denied the decision was related to the players' sporting level, nodding to Renard's good performance for Lyonnes against Paris Saint-Germain in the league play-off final in mid May. 'It's not a decision against these players, it's a decision for the French national team,' he said. 'It's for the younger players who represent the future of the France team.' Bonadei was fully aware of the impact of his decision and he did not take it lightly. 'There hasn't been a day that I haven't thought about it since the April gathering,' he said to French media. Renard had 'given 30,000, 40,000 per cent for this shirt which I hold above everything else,' she said. 'That will always be the case because I believe my career is not over. It's the coach's decision, but everything in its own time.' Former France international and French Football Federation (FFF) secretary general Laura Georges' initial reaction to Renard's absence was 'sadness', describing it as 'really hard', especially before a major tournament. Advertisement 'She (Renard) is an experienced player, a well-respected team-mate,' she told The Athletic. 'I felt sad because it's about the timing. It's complicated, when it's the last camp and you don't get a call. 'The best way for the coach is to prepare ahead and discuss it with the players. I won't judge, but as a player, I would need to have some time to discuss with the coach, especially ahead of the competition. 'Will they miss her (Renard)? Of course. It's always good to have good leadership, good people who are able to stand up.' Lucy Bronze, who describes Renard, her former Lyonnes team-mate and a good friend, as the 'epitome' of a captain, was shocked too. 'Everything she did as a person and a player, there was nothing you could fault,' she said. France centre-back Maelle Lakrar 'did not expect these choices'. 'I am perhaps a little closer to Wendie because she helped me during my debut with the national team,' she said. 'I will always be grateful to her.' Bonadei, conscious of the effects on his tightly-knit squad, explained the decision to his players. 'There are very strong friendships,' he said. 'That can create collateral damage.' Although the decision came out of the blue for Renard, there were warning signs. She withdrew from the April camp with a calf injury and Bonadei was satisfied with the new centre-back partnership of Griedge Mbock and Lakrar. 'When I took up my position, I said that everyone had a chance but no one was indispensable,' he said at the time. 'That's still the case. This team has to learn to play without Wendie, Eugenie, Marie (Katoto) and others.' The 'other' was midfielder Dali, who, according to a source briefed on the matter, was 'devastated'. 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Ever since Bonadei took over as head coach from Herve Renard (no relation to Wendie) after a disappointing quarter-final exit at the 2024 Paris Olympics, he sought a different direction, turning to a younger crop of players. Part of his reasoning for his decision to leave out such experienced squad members was to give more players major tournament experience, especially with an eye on the 2027 World Cup. He noted Toletti played her first World Cup, in 2023, at the age of 28. The graphic below shows a blend of youth and experience. The majority of players are in their peak years and there is only one player in each position aged 30 or above, while Bonadei has opted for some very youthful defenders. Bonadei has also changed Sakina Karchaoui's position, moving her into midfield, recalled Manchester United's Melvine Malard, who did not feature under Renard at the World Cup or the Olympics, and called up Everton's Kelly Gago, who made her debut in October. 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New York Times
35 minutes ago
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Lionesses and leadership: Who will step up in the absence of Bright and Earps?
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'We're both people (Stanway was speaking while sitting alongside Arsenal's Lotte Wubben-Moy) who will communicate on the pitch, give a little bit of s*** here and there if needed, but we also can take it.' Lucy Bronze is another who wears many leadership hats. On the pitch, she is committed. Off it, she is the younger players' number one phone-a-friend. 'Bronzey speaks to everyone,' said Le Tissier. 'I love her, we get on really well. We always go to her with questions.' Playing in her seventh consecutive major tournament, Bronze shares her past experiences as well as her daily tips. 'She is one of those people who knows almost everything,' added Aggie Beever-Jones, who is set to make her major tournament debut. Another assured leader who flies under the radar is Manchester City captain Greenwood. The 31-year-old did not start a single game under Wiegman at Euro 2022 but has always been a consummate professional. 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'Now we've got a group of players whose mentality is to win,' said Bronze, pointing to Arsenal's Champions League success, Chelsea's domestic treble and Manchester United's FA Cup finals. 'That's changed over my England career: the mentality of 'actually, we want to win' and doing that consistently.' At the helm are Wiegman and trusted assistant Arjan Veurink. The pair have an incredible record, with their teams featuring in every final of the past four major tournaments (Euro 2017, 2019 World Cup, Euro 2022 and 2023 World Cup). Bronze, though, is quite prepared to challenge that leadership. In the Finalissima against South American champions Brazil in April 2023, the defender told Wiegman to change the order of England's penalty takers at the last minute, bumping Kelly up to fifth. She scored the winning penalty. Amid the search for leadership, it should be remembered that England entered the World Cup in 2023 without the retired Ellen White and Jill Scott, as well as the injured trio of Williamson, Mead and Kirby. That did not stop them reaching the final and there will be confidence they have what is required to go far in this tournament as well. There is no question Bright, Earps and Kirby leave a gap — but it should not play on England's minds.
New York Times
38 minutes ago
- New York Times
Chelsea make Club World Cup semi-final despite Estevao goal: Live updates and reaction
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