In the 17 league rounds before the winter break, Juventus scored a total of 32 goals, leading among the top 20 teams. They were also the only team to score over 30 goals. However, upon closer inspection of the distribution of these 32 goals, the contribution of their frontline strikers was less than satisfactory. Only Quagliarella's tally of 9 goals could be considered impressive. The next highest scorer was Aaquinta with just 4 goals, while Amauri is yet to get on the scoresheet. Seeking a new striker in the winter transfer window has been one of Juventus' primary objectives.
As the first match of the New Year approaches, finding a new striker continues to be a troubling issue for Juventus. After missing out on Gilardino, the Old Lady has now set its sights on Huntelaar. However, bringing the Dutch marksman back to Serie A is undoubtedly a difficult task.
The difficulty of acquiring a new striker corresponds to the urgency of the need. Previously, Juventus announced that Aaquinta would be sidelined for at least 20 days due to injury. Combined with Amauri's declining form, this means that Quagliarella will bear an even heavier burden in the upcoming matches. Currently, Juventus is in a critical period of catching up with Napoli and Lazio, making each game crucial. As a result, the club has expedited its efforts to sign Huntelaar.
At yesterday's pre-match press conference for Juventus' first match of the New Year, Del Neri spoke about the Huntelaar situation: "Huntelaar? He's a good player, but the deal is too difficult." Del Neri's statement holds true as Schalke spent €15 million last summer to bring Huntelaar from San Siro to Gelsenkirchen. Now, it seems unlikely that Juventus can acquire him at a similar price.
This also signifies the failure of Juventus' plan to sign Gilardino. Meanwhile,哲科 (Edin Dzeko) has almost confirmed his move to Manchester City, and Toni is being closely pursued by both Milan clubs. For Juventus, the difficulty of finding a new striker is increasing, and the pool of available options is shrinking. Among the few remaining possibilities is Huntelaar.
Previously, Fiorentina's star forward Gilardino was the closest to joining Juventus. Italian media outlet *La Repubblica* reported that Juventus could sign Gilardino as early as January, with Amauri being sent to Fiorentina as part of the deal. However, this claim was denied by Fiorentina. In their official statement, the club wrote: "We do not intend to let Gilardino leave. We have renewed our confidence and will further invest in strengthening the team."
After a frustrating season last year, Huntelaar started this season with an impressive goal-scoring rate at Schalke and continued to perform well for the Netherlands national team. Despite a slight dip in form recently, his overall efficiency of 10 goals in 21 games remains commendable. Juventus' management hopes to bring him back to the Italian peninsula. Coincidentally, Schalke 04 has shown interest in Juventus' defensive midfielder Seydou Doumbia (or another reference to a Juve player like Cisse or more likely - Sissoko), who is also seen as a potential清洗 (cleaning/clearing) target for Juventus. Thus, Juventus hopes to offer Sissoko (or another player) plus some cash for Huntelaar. However, Magath appears unwilling to let Huntelaar go in the winter, as the team is currently in a crucial phase of regaining strength.