Juventus Pursues New No 9 as Spalletti Challenges Kolo Muani

Juventus took the points against Frosinone. They did not take their chances.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the wasteful display has pushed the club back into the market for a centre-forward, with Luciano Spalletti growing tired of living on the edge every time his side reaches the box. The win did little to calm him. If anything, it sharpened his impatience.

The long-running issue at number nine has returned to the surface. Previous attempts to solve it with targets such as Lois Openda and Jonathan David never truly materialised, and the sense inside Continassa is that the problem has simply been delayed, not fixed. With the transfer window closing in, that delay is no longer acceptable.

Spalletti’s warning to 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 series of clear openings and repeatedly stalled Juventus’ attacking rhythm.

Spalletti did not shield him. He chose the opposite.

“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 message aimed directly at his striker’s recent level. No soft landing, no attempt to dilute the criticism. The demand was simple: raise the standard, or risk being left behind.

The frustration is not just about missed chances. Spalletti wants a dominant presence in the box, a forward who bullies centre-backs, attacks crosses and finishes moves with minimum fuss. Right now, he feels he does not have that profile.

Sorloth at the top of the list

That is why Alexander Sorloth has moved to the top of his wish list. The Atletico Madrid striker, as reported in Italy, fits the image Spalletti has in mind: a classic number nine with size, power and a proven scoring record. The Norwegian has hit 20 or more goals in each of his last three seasons, the kind of consistency Juventus lack in the role.

Inside the club, work has restarted on a possible deal built around Nico Gonzalez. The winger is open to a move to Madrid, and Juventus are exploring whether his inclusion can unlock Sorloth before the window shuts. It would be a significant reshaping of their attack, trading wide creativity for penalty-box certainty.

If that path closes, there is another name on the board.

Zirkzee the alternative

Manchester United’s Joshua Zirkzee remains a late-window option. He offers something very different: link play, flair between the lines, a forward who drifts and creates rather than simply occupying defenders in the area. His profile appeals for other reasons, but he is not the bruising, penalty-box finisher Spalletti has been asking for.

That contrast underlines the crossroads Juventus now face. Do they back the coach’s demand for a pure finisher like Sorloth, or do they pivot to a more creative, modern forward in Zirkzee and reshape the way they attack?

Decision time in Turin

The clock is ticking on the summer market, and Juventus know they cannot drift into the heart of the season still debating their number nine. Inside the club, the belief is that a reliable goalscorer is the final structural piece, the player who turns tight, nervous wins into controlled, routine ones against deep, stubborn defences.

Spalletti’s stance is clear. He wants a reference point, a striker who ends the conversations about missed chances and wasted dominance.

Now the question is whether Juventus’ new leadership can deliver that profile in time – or whether another season will start with the same old doubt hanging over the most important shirt on the pitch.