Juventus Eye Retegui, Balogun as Woltemade Struggles

Juventus are assessing three striker options as Nick Woltemade struggles to establish himself in Turin, with Mateo Retegui, Folarin Balogun and Antonio Raimondo under consideration to reinforce the attack.

Woltemade arrived from Newcastle United on a £3.5 million straight loan, but the Germany international has yet to make the expected impact for Luciano Spalletti’s side. He has played three Serie A matches without a goal or assist and has scored only once in all competitions: a penalty during the 5-0 Europa League win over NEC Nijmegen.

The 1.98m forward’s difficult start was compounded during Germany’s UEFA Nations League meeting with Serbia, when he missed an open goal from close range. Juventus had hoped his time with the national side, now led by Jurgen Klopp, would help sharpen his confidence before returning to club duty.

Role uncertainty behind slow start

Woltemade has found it hard to command a regular place in the starting XI. Although his stature suggests a classic focal-point striker, he does not view aerial contests as a major strength and prefers to drop off the front line as a support forward.

That mismatch between his physical build and his preferred role has created a tactical issue for Juventus, who are now examining alternatives with differing profiles.

Three forwards being considered

Retegui is among the leading candidates. The former Atalanta forward is currently playing in Saudi Arabia for Al-Qadsiah.
Monaco striker Balogun is also being monitored. The United States international has prior Ligue 1 experience and is valued for his movement and finishing, though Juventus must determine whether a deal is financially viable.
Raimondo completes the initial list. The Bologna player has been impressing on loan at Frosinone and represents a domestic option.

Giovanni Carnevali is evaluating the three targets as Juventus consider how quickly they need to reshape their forward line. Woltemade still has time to change the picture, but his adaptation period has already come under serious pressure.