Player Focus: Carlos Tévez - The Top Signing Juve Have Been Waiting For

Just over sixty years ago, Juventus owner Gianni Agnelli decided his side needed an injection of attacking quality and twice broke the world transfer record to bring two foreign stars to Turin. One was a quiet and unassuming giant, the other a fiery Argentine with a questionable temperament, but as they joined with the immense talent already in the squad, John Charles and Omar Sivori sparked a new golden age for the Bianconeri. Their hunger for silverware and goals served Italian football’s grandest club, and the FIAT owner was rewarded handsomely for his investment.

Fast forward to today, and as he landed at the airport – cheered and revered by the club’s supporters who awaited his arrival - there was the distinct feeling of déjà vu as Carlos Tévez took his first steps on Italian soil. Unlike his compatriot Sivori, he came through the gate not to the whirring of camera spools and popping flashbulbs, but to the clicking of hundreds of mobile phone cameras. Yet, there was a distinctly traditional feel to the signing of the 29 year old, a player who has always been something of a throwback on the pitch and now suddenly one off it too.

His arrival, along with that of Spanish international Fernando Llorente – previously profiled here – could potentially herald the dawn of a new era for this post-Calciopoli Juventus, finally able once again to lure the very best talent to represent the Old Lady. The move marks a coming of age moment for both the player and club, as it indicates each making a leap that many thought beyond them. For Juventus, winners of back to back Serie A titles since the arrival of coach Antonio Conte, the transfer ends the debate on whether the new regime is willing to sign a ‘top player,’ and indeed whether Marotta can conclude such a deal.

For Tevez, who has agreed a contract that will see him earn less than half of the salary did with the Premier League club, it is the first step in silencing the fans and observers who have delighted in pouring scorn upon him. Disloyal, untrustworthy and perennially problematic were among the kinder words used to describe the Argentinian striker, as every misdeed was retold in the media in England. While he is clearly a player who has made mistakes and been involved in a number of high profile incidents, his quality is unquestionable once he takes to the field.

During his stay at Manchester City, he has been handed a driving ban, sentenced to community service and famously fled to his homeland for an impromptu golfing holiday following a heated argument with then-coach Roberto Mancini. Yet the Italian – a man famous across the peninsula for an endless list of tantrums and incidents throughout his own playing career – is now among the biggest supporters of a move that will see Tevez swap one northern industrial town for another. 

“He is an extraordinary player, capable, with great technique and talent,” Mancini told fansite TuttoJuve.com earlier this week. “He will certainly do well at Juventus. I can’t wait to see him in action in Italy.” Mancini is not alone, with many Juventus supporters also keen to see Tevez link up with an already dominant squad and begin to bridge the gap to Europe’s most elite clubs. Whatever his reasons for choosing to opt for the Bianconeri, it is clear money was not chief among them, but what can the man who caddied for Andres Romero at the 2012 Open Championship, offer to the reigning Serie A champions?

Before his relationship with Mancini fell apart, Tevez was clearly the most influential and important player at the Eastlands club. His first two seasons after swapping the red of United for the blue of City saw him net 52 goals in 84 games, a return that put him on par with the very best in the game, and handed him the 2010-11 Premier League Golden Boot. Since then his form has fallen slightly, but he leaves the Premier League club with a record of 73 goals in 138 appearances, including a more than respectable 17 in 39 official matches last term.

His average WhoScored.com rating for the 2012-13 season was 7.21, the 27th best in England’s top flight, and a figure only bettered by Mirko Vucinic (7.24) among Juve’s current strikers. His goal tally is also better than anyone who pulled on the famous black and white shirt last season, and only midfielder Arturo Vidal matches his total of eight assists.

Tevez is arguably better suited to Conte’s demanding tactical approach than any of the strikers available to him, since his arrival in Turin two summers ago. The coach will embrace the bustling, workmanlike approach so beloved in England. Conte quickly dispatched men like Milos Krasic and Eljero Elia, who refused to accept their defensive duties. The striker’s tireless endeavour may not be reflected in his statistics – he averaged just 0.8 tackles and 0.4 interceptions per game last season – but anyone watching him play cannot fail to notice the effort he brings every time he steps on the field.

“Conte will decide who I will play alongside and where I will be used. I can give experience and quality to the team, I promise the fans that I will give my contribution in search of victories.”

Tevez was appointed captain by Mancini, despite their running feud, and Juventus have already seemingly sought to tap his innate leadership qualities by handing him the famous number ten shirt. Formerly worn by the beloved Alessandro Del Piero – with illustrious names such as Michel Platini, Roberto Baggio and Giampiero Boniperti among his predecessors – the shirt is as prestigious as they come on the peninsula, and many may feel the choice is in poor taste. Yet speaking at his unveiling, the player himself went some way to allaying those fears with some carefully chosen words.

“I already inherited that shirt from Diego Maradona at Boca Juniors,” he told reporters. “I respect it, it provides me with a challenge. I respect Del Piero, who is a symbol of this club and a great player.” He will need to take that same approach on the field, where his energy and willingness to close down opposing defenders will be key to the restoration of the high octane pressing style which was a hallmark of Conte’s first season back at Juventus.

Also vital will be his movement, especially the desire to pull apart defences that none of Juve’s current battery of strikers possesses. His willingness to come deep or pull wide will be almost as important as the number of times he finds the back of the net as he creates space for the likes of Vidal, Claudio Marchisio and Paul Pogba behind him. His talents are ideally suited to either a role alongside Llorente in Conte’s 3-5-2 or anywhere in the front of an expected application of a 4-3-3 system where he will provide a link with the midfield. As he drops deep, he can interact with Andrea Pirlo, Leonardo Bonucci and others, using his intelligent passing touch – 35.3 passes per game at an average completion rate of 83.9% - to help maintain possession.

Clearly an upgrade in terms of talent, the signing of Tevez may well be as much a leap of faith as it is a step up in quality. But, if Conte and Juventus manage to coerce him into giving his best, the payoff could be staggering. The ‘top player’ has landed and there are no more excuses, it is time for the Old Lady to stand tall once again.