Juventus manager Andrea Pirlo Photo: VCG

 

"Today, begins a new chapter of his career in the world of football," read an August 5 statement from Italian giants Juventus, just hours after sacking Maurizio Sarri following the club's exit from the UEFA Champions League to French side Olympique Lyonnais.

"As it was said almost a week ago: from Maestro to Mister," it concluded.

The maestro-turned mister - the English word that is used in Spain and Italy in the same way that "gaffer" is used to refer to head coaches in England - in question was Andrea Pirlo, and the week was the time between his first job in coaching, as head coach of the Juventus under-23s, his promotion to one of the biggest jobs in the game: Juventus boss.

There has been debate as to the wisdom of the move from the Juve board, not only in sacking a man who won the Serie A title at the first attempt, but in going for the unproven Pirlo, club legend as he is.

Pirlo needs to show the same vision he did as a player from his new role in the dugout and that starts with reshaping the team in his image.  

There have already been arrivals. In have come Arthur from Barcelona, Man City teenager Felix Correia and Weston McKennie from German side Schalke 04. Arthur is the oldest of that trio at 24.

Others are said to be on the way, inlcuding Luis Suarez who has been deemed surplus to requirements at the Camp Nou by incoming boss Ronald Koeman.

Several players have been shown the door already, too.

­Miralem Pjanic left for Barcelona in the same deal that brought Arthur to Turin, while Emre Can has joined Borussia Dortmund. France midfielder Blaise Matuidi has gone to Inter Miami, David Beckham's MLS franchise, for free.

Even for Italy's most successful club and one of the richest in world football that boils down to selling players to bring his own in. Juventus, as we saw when they paid 100 million euros for a 33-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo two years ago, do not need the money but nobody can afford to leave unhappy footballers around the dressing room.

Pirlo has to be more ruthless than most as he shared the dressing room with several of those still at the club during his playing days between 2011 and 2015.

There will have to be outgoings but who might the mister decides no longer passes muster?

Gonzalo Higuain is expected to follow teammate Matuidi to Inter Miami as the MLS debutants look to make an impact in the nascent North American market. Higuain has been on the way out for some time, spending loan spells at AC Milan and Chelsea in the 2018-19 season before being somewhat rehabilitated under his former Napoli boss Sarri last season. Still, it would be a shock if Pirlo stood in the way of a player who turns 33 in December and was never the most mobile.

Mobility, youthful dynamism and a front foot approach seem key to what Pirlo wants to achieve with a move to a pressing game so popular elsewhere on the continent.

Sami Khedira is another player in the current crop of midfielders who are adding to the reputation of being too static for Pirlo's plans.

The German World Cup winner, who arrived from Real Madrid in 2015, is already 33 and has more than served his purpose for the Bianconeri, helping them to the Scudetto in each of his seasons at the club. Time has not been kind on the injury prone, one-time midfield tyro and former teammate Pirlo will let him leave, though where the destination might remain to be seen.He has been linked to several sides in the English Premier League or an emotional return to first club Stuttgart.

It has been suggested that Juventus would be happy to let Higuain and Khedira end their current contracts early to get them off the books.

More problematic than the trophy-laden veterans is the younger tier of players who have been linked with moves away from Turin.

Wales midfielder Aaron Ramsey arrived at the club on a free transfer last summer after a decade at Arsenal but he could be on his way out 12 or so months later. His name was among the first to be mentioned as a potential departure once Pirlo was handed the job, though the denials have been vocal. 

While the 29-year-old was reported to be free to find a new club after Pirlo was deemed "not interested" in his talents, the Welshman's agency tweeted that this was "#nonsense."

Ramsey only made 11 starts under Sarri in Serie A in his debut season and his career, at 29, might be best suited to returning closer to home.

Sometime Italy center back Daniele Rugani, 26, is also an asset they can sell potentially for profit who was underused last season. Rugani played only 10 league games last season, while right back Mattia de Sciglio, 27, made nine starts. Both could leave for the benefit of all parties.

Even more important players are being linked away from the club this off-season. Paulo Dybala, who had been linked with a move to Manchester United a year ago, has been mentioned once more in the transfer gossip. Contract talks are reported to have stalled and the club are "open to offers" for one of their most saleable assets. The 26-year-old Argentina striker played 46 games across all competitions last season, scoring 17 and notching 14 assists.

Then comes the elephant in the room, and to be fair, he would be an elephant in most rooms when it comes to the world's leading football clubs: Cristiano Ronaldo. Reports have deemed the 34-year-old as "no longer untouchable" and available for as little as 54 million pounds this summer as Pirlo plots his rebuild.

Ronaldo is the statement sale, no doubt about it, the one where the maestro-turned mister shows he is calling the tune.