One of the positions Tottenham Hotspur chose to revamp in the summer was the midfield.
As part of the midfield rebuild, the Lilywhites paid a combined £185m for Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes in the summer, but neither player has hit the ground running so far this season. At the same time, the club did not sign Joao Palhinha permanently, released Yves Bissouma after his contract expired and sent Pape Matar Sarr out on loan.
Pape Matar Sarr signed with Juventus on an initial loan deal with a £22.3m obligation to buy next summer, which will be triggered if he plays 50 per cent of the matches and the club qualifies for the Champions League. Due to a muscle injury, the Senegalese international has endured a slow start to life at Old Lady. The central midfielder has yet to start a Serie A game for Juventus, managing two cameo appearances off the bench thus far.
Juventus boss makes telling admission on Pape Matar Sarr
Ex-Juventus midfielder Momo Sissoko has backed Sarr to be successful in Turin, although former Italy international Giancarlo Marocchi felt he looked short of rhythm during his first start in Juventus colours against NEC in the Europa League.
Now, Juventus boss Luciano Spalletti has given his verdict on Sarr. He is increasingly convinced that the club has got a “strong player”.
“He’s a complete player; he has this ease of running, and you find him everywhere, precise and punctual. When you think you can’t bring the team together down there, he gets there. He has this running ability and deep stamina,” Luciano Spalletti told TuttoSport (h/t Sport Witness).
“In this exploration, he brings quality because he knows the tackle, he knows the technical quality, the finishing. We’re convinced we have a strong player at our disposal, and he’ll show it to us starting tomorrow if necessary.”
This shows that Sarr’s performances since joining Juventus have pleased Spalletti, who will want to unlock the Senegalese international’s true potential. The midfielder requested Roberto De Zerbi to allow him to leave Tottenham due to competition for places, and it was certainly the best decision for the player to continue his development.
Having overcome his muscular issue, the African talent is settling in well at the Allianz Stadium. After the end of the international break, Juventus’ first outing will come against Cagliari, with Sarr eager to earn his first Serie A start after doing well on international duty.