For several months, Juventus have been on the trail of Leandro Paredes. The player himself is eager to leave Paris Saint Germain in search of more playing time, but for now, he can do little but wait for the two clubs to reach an agreement over a transfer.
In the meantime, Max Allegri continues to rely on Manuel Locatelli as his main Regista. But whether the Euro 2020 winner is fit for the role or not, Calciomercato journalist Luca Bedogni believes that signing Paredes remains a necessity for the Old Lady.
The tactical analyst argues that Locatelli was able to interpret the deep-lying playmaker during his time at Sassuolo, simply because the Emilians’ then-manager Roberto De Zerbi adopted a systematic and progressive style of play.
On the other hand, Max Allegri rarely intervenes when it comes to the passing drills, leaving the midfield anchor to improvise himself. This is where Locatelli’s shortcomings begin to appear, according to Bedogni, as proven by some of his blunders when faced with Sassuolo’s high pressure on Monday.
So while the Italian is arguably more-suited for a box-to-box role, Paredes is a genuine Regista. He has interpreted this role from his early career days, including his stints at Empoli and Roma.
Bedogni explains Paredes is incredibly comfortable on the ball, and can pick up his teammates with long vertical balls, which is why his addition remains vital for the Bianconeri’s game-plan.
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