Aquilani makes Juventus move
Liverpool midfielder Alberto Aquilani will spend this season plying his trade back in the more familiar surroundings of Italy, after completing a season-long loan deal to Turin giants Juventus. Aquilani, who has struggled for both form and fitness since his arrival on Merseyside last summer, hopes to re-establish himself back in the national team setup having found himself out of the Coach’s plans for the best part of a year.
Anfield flop
Having arrived on Merseyside with a growing reputation, he was seen as the direct replacement for Xabi Alonso, who had made the move to Real Madrid in the same transfer window. However, Aquilani was hampered from day one by injury, not making his first Premier League start until Boxing Day – almost four months after his arrival. With many Reds fans hoping the former Roma star could be the catalyst for a second half of the season revival, his appearances were fledgling and his performances unspectacular. Much is made of the Premier League’s fast pace and tempo – something Aquilani wasn’t able to get used, largely thanks to the lack of time he was afforded to do so.
Perhaps another reason for his failed Anfield career – alongside his injury-prone nature – was the fact he was brought in to seamlessly replace the Spanish midfield maestro Alonso. This, despite the Italian being far more inclined to areas further up the pitch, rather than the deep, holding role he was largely afforded under Rafa Benitez. His role was mainly to feed the inspirational duo of Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres, when really he is suited to a more dynamic role where he can find gaps to exploit.
New lease of life in Turin
With Juventus blessed with numerous holding midfielders – Momo Sissoko and Felipe Melo to name just two – Aquilani may well be afforded a more creative and free role at his new club. Although, he will have highly-rated Brazilian playmaker Diego to compete with in this area – a battle he is likely to lose. Having said that, a major part of Juventus’ problems last season was the lack of passing quality in the middle of the park, as the likes of the aforementioned Sissoko and Melo, along with Claudio Marchisio were more in the destructive, workmanlike mould, appose to Aquilani’s guile and array of passing. This may mean Aquilani will indeed get his chance alongside one of the three mentioned above, but this would be in a similar role to that he occupied at Liverpool – feeding the playmaker Diego, the wingers and the main striker. Perhaps the slower, more tactical feel to Serie A will allow him to do this.
For now, the man brought to England for a hefty £17m returns home in an attempt to rescue his struggling career. At 26-years-old, he still has his peak years ahead of him, but more talented operators have failed from a similar position before him. Those in Italy rate him very highly indeed, with many believing the Old Lady may well have pulled off one of the transfer coups of the summer. Only time will tell if Aquilani returns to the Italian shores as the same player that left them just over 12 months ago.
Tags: