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Juventus have come out of a hectic transfer window packed with arrivals, exits and sudden twists. What they now have is a squad with a few more solutions, some areas still not fully covered and, above all, several major questions still to be answered.

The first upheaval arrived off the pitch, between the end of last season and the opening of the transfer window. Comolli and Modesto left, while Carnevali and Massara came in. The new leadership effectively stepped in when the process was already under way, because top clubs begin planning their summer business during the winter. From there, they tried to fix the issues left behind by the previous set-up while also working within the restrictions of the UEFA settlement agreement. Carnevali and Massara deserve a positive assessment, even if it is still premature to deliver a full verdict before the winter transfer window and, above all, next summer's business, as well as the final outcome of the season that has just started. Unlike Giuntoli, who in his first summer at Juventus brought in only Weah, with that operation in any case handled by Manna, Carnevali and Massara have been highly active, completing 11 arrivals, including players returning from loan spells, and 12 departures, including expired contracts.

The crucial turning points

Juventus's transfer campaign passed through several decisive moments: the decision to keep Spalletti despite the failure to qualify for the Champions League, with the coach having signed a contract extension until 2028 with Comolli in April, and Carnevali, who arrived in June, then supporting the choice to continue with Spalletti; the end of the illusion that, without Champions League football, Juventus could go after elite, experienced and high-quality names such as Alisson, Bernardo Silva and Lewandowski; the choice not to satisfy Vlahovic's contract demands and therefore move on without him, where there was probably a difference in thinking between the club's management and the coach, who would have preferred to have the Serbian back; the Kolo Muani story, pursued for a year, then closed on a permanent transfer for a major fee, before Spalletti himself had a dig at him after a missed chance in the first official match; the goalkeeper saga, with unsuccessful attempts not only for Alisson but also for Dibu Martinez, Svilar and Suzuki, before Juventus eventually turned to Vicario and Grabara; the difficult and unfavourable loan exits for players coming off a terrible season, namely Di Gregorio, David and Openda; and the surprise attacking names, which ultimately led to the arrivals of Ekhator, Alajbegovic and Woltemade.

The big doubts

The transfer window that has now shut, although possible exits to Turkey and Saudi Arabia in the coming hours should still be monitored because those markets remain open, has certainly left Juventus stronger in goal, with greater quality in defence both in the middle and out wide thanks to Lucumi and Celik, and with plenty of quality and options in the attacking midfield zones and on the wings. Nico Gonzalez's importance was obvious straight away. The biggest concerns remain in the centre-forward role, where both Kolo Muani and Woltemade prefer to move away from the middle and neither is the classic box striker Spalletti likes so much, and above all in midfield, where Juventus have for years lacked a top-level deep-lying playmaker and a player capable of guaranteeing both creativity and hard running together. The return of Douglas Luiz is a gamble, one that for now has begun well, while the signing of Sarr is a temporary fix after the setback in the pursuit of Kessie.

And the real Spalletti is needed

A large part of Juventus's season, and with it the eventual judgment on this transfer window in a few months' time, will depend on Spalletti's work. He needs to get rid of the lingering effects of the failure with Italy, which still occasionally emerge in his comments and decisions, and recover the sharpest version of himself, the one seen at title-winning Napoli. It will also depend on whether real harmony develops between the coach and the club hierarchy, and between Spalletti's ideas and the transfer choices made by Carnevali and Massara.

Summary of signings and departures

SIGNINGS: Nico Gonzalez (f, Atletico Madrid), Douglas Luiz (m, Aston Villa), Rugani (d, Fiorentina), Ekhator (f, Genoa), Celik (d, Roma), Alajbegovic (f, Bayer Leverkusen), Kolo Muani (f, Paris Saint-Germain), Lucumi (d, Bologna), Vicario (gk, Tottenham), Grabara (gk, Wolfsburg), Sarr (m, Tottenham), Woltemade (f, Newcastle).

DEPARTURES: Holm (d, Bologna), Vlahovic (f, Besiktas), Kostic (m, PSV), Openda (f, Lyon), Rouhi (d, Carrarese), Pedro Felipe (d, Racing Santander), Adzic (m, Sassuolo), Joao Mario (d, Fiorentina), Arthur (m, contract termination), Di Gregorio (gk, Bournemouth), Perin (gk, Palermo), Miretti (m, Besiktas), David (f, Atletico Madrid).