Juve Hold Fire On Salas Replacement
Tuesday 23rd October 2001
Juventus general director Luciano Moggi has indicated that the club are planning both short and long-term action in their attempt to replace injured Chile striker Marcelo Salas, who is sidelined for the rest of the season after surgery on torn knee ligaments.
But coach Marcello Lippi insisted there will be no rush to recruit a new striker.
The pre-season favourites for the title now have serious problems in attack as Nicola Amoruso is not yet match fit having just returned from an ankle injury. Alessandro Del Piero and David Trezeguet are the first-choice pair up front, but coach Marcello Lippi now has little back-up.
Lippi, however, insisted that Amoruso would be able to come into the side if required and that there was no hurry to bring in a replacement.
"For now Nicola Amoruso will help us through this emergency as he is back from injury," he said. "We also have players like Pavel Nedved who can play alongside the main striker.
"We won't rush back into the transfer market as making a rash decision would be the worst thing we could do."
Moggi has claimed that Juve are not about to buy another striker - but the fact is that even if the club wanted to, they would not be able to as the Milan side cannot sign any players before January unless they are out of contract.
Midfielder Gianluca Zambrotta acknowledged: "The injury to Salas is a problem. I don't know what the club will do, because they cannot sign any players before January unless they are on a Bosman."
Top of the long-term list are young Brescia striker Luca Toni or veteran Udinese frontman Muzzi as both would be eligible to compete in the Champions' League this term - but neither can be purchased until January.
In the short term, Juve can snap up an out-of-contract player, and are considering the 34-year-old striker Maurizio Ganz. Internazionale's Turkish outcast Hakan Sukur is also thought of as a possible recruit when the transfer window reopens.
The club's priorities, though, are qualifying for the next phase of the Champions' League, which they can do with a win against Porto on Tuesday, and Saturday's clash with Internazionale.
Results in those games will go a long way to determining whether the club's priorities lie in the short or long term.
Salas picked up the injury in the scoreless away draw with Bologna on Saturday night.
He joined Juve in a swap deal involving Yugoslav striker Darko Kovacevic this summer and has a history of knee problems. One forced him to miss the end of last season with Lazio.
