As his team looks to start a winning streak, manager Thiago Motta announced on Friday that Juventus’ new acquisition, France forward Randal Kolo Muani, will make his debut in Saturday’s Serie A match against Napoli.
The Italian team also welcomed right back Alberto Costa earlier in the January transfer window. Muani was signed by Juventus from Paris St. Germain on loan until the end of the season on Thursday.
“Randal is available and we’ll see if he starts or not. It’s important to have taken a player of his level because we think he can help the team win games,” Motta told reporters.
With attacker Arkadiusz Milik out with a chronic ailment and defenders Gleison Bremer and Juan Cabal out with anterior cruciate ligament injuries, reinforcements have arrived just in time for Juventus.
“The integration of the new arrivals is going very well. Tomorrow everyone will be there except Bremer, Cabal and Milik,” Motta said.
Dusan Vlahovic, a striker for Juventus, is probably going to be benched for the third consecutive game on Saturday after Motta claimed the 24-year-old has fitness concerns.
According to Italian media rumours, the Serbian international may possibly join Chelsea or Arsenal during the summer season.
“Randal and Nico (Gonzalez) can play on the wing. Dusan played a lot and had a physical problem.
” We will see for tomorrow who will start and who will enter the match in progress,” the 42-year-old manager said.
Juve are the only unbeaten side in Serie A but 13 draws in 21 games have left Motta’s side fifth in the standings and 13 points off leaders Napoli.
Motta said Antonio Conte’s side are “deservedly in first place, we are deservedly behind” but that his team were determined to taste victory again on Saturday having beaten AC Milan in the league last weekend.
“I am satisfied with many things and others less so such as the many draws, but I have already talked about this.
“Our idea is always to do a great job during the week to get the win,” Motta said.
“… So many changes in the squad, changes necessary for different reasons.
” And tomorrow we will play a great match which is Napoli-Juventus.”