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Analysing Potential Replacements for Juventus Goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon
- Updated: November 21, 2016
Over recent weeks, the idea of Juventus needing to replace Gigi Buffon has become increasingly prominent—fuelled largely by the 38-year-old admitting he will likely retire following next season.
“I will try to make the next World Cup and then it may be time to close the door,” Buffon told reporters at an awards ceremony back in January, per FourFourTwo.
That, of course, has led to speculation over his successor, with AC Milan’s Gianluigi Donnarumma emerging as a potential target for Bianconeri director general Giuseppe Marotta.
“Juve, Chelsea and Manchester City are courting him, but Milan do not want to lose him and will try to lock him down,” his agent, Mino Raiola, said recently, per Football Italia. “Marotta is pressing. Juventus want to find an heir to Buffon and will try to bring him to Turin at all costs.”
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There’s now debate over whether Juventus could indeed lure the 17-year-old goalkeeping prodigy away from San Siro, a matter discussed at length in this previous post.
Milan’s ability to return to being a relevant force is almost certainly the biggest factor, but if they do, then it is unlikely that life-long fan Donnarumma would opt to move elsewhere.
So where would that leave Juventus? What other targets are there and who would become their alternative choice to take over from Buffon?
A man who would undoubtedly feature prominently in any such discussion would be current deputy Norberto Neto. The Brazilian arrived in Turin back in July 2015, with the club’s official website revealing he had signed a four-year contract following the end of his previous deal with Fiorentina.
Presenting our new number 25… @Neto_Murara! #FinoAllaFine #ForzaJuve pic.twitter.com/VXl2fFWrHH
— JuventusFC (@juventusfcen) July 23, 2015
He had spent four-and-a-half years with the Viola, blossoming into one of the finest ‘keepers in Serie A. Joining them in January 2011, he would initially remain a backup to Artur Boruc and then Emiliano Viviano, making a total of just 14 appearances before the 2013/14 season began.
That campaign would see then-coach Vincenzo Montella make Neto his first-choice goalkeeper, a decision that was rewarded with some superb performances from the Brazil native.
Over the two subsequent years, he would help Fiorentina to successive fourth-placed finishes in the league, and he also played a major role in their progress to the semifinals of both the Coppa Italia and the UEFA Europa League.
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Even his raw statistics made for impressive reading, with Fox Soccer’s figures showing that his tally of 12 clean sheets in 2013/14 was the fourth best in the league, while only four …
