With Arturo Vidal off to the Bavarian countryside to join Bayern Munich, Juventus are tens of millions of euros richer and in need of another midfielder. Right now, one of the hot rumors is that they'll re-invest a chunk of that windfall back with Bayern to acquire Mario Götze. But is that really something they should do?
In a word? Yes.
While Götze isn't the same kind of all-action, fly-all-over-the-pitch midfielder that Vidal is, this also isn't the same Juventus that Vidal anchored for the last four years. Since Max Allegri took over last summer, we've seen a slow transition into a new kind of Juve, and it's one that Götze fits gorgeously. This more aggressive, incisive Juventus attack could bring out the best in the German attacker, and after a couple mixed seasons with Bayern, this transfer could be exactly what he needs.
Why it makes sense
Götze would offer Juventus a solid playmaking and attacking element from behind the strikers, something they don't have a ton of right now. His ability to create from higher up the pitch as well as cut into the defense with the ball at his feet would be immense. Plus, with Claudio Marchisio, Sami Khedira and Paul Pogba behind him in midfield, he'll have three guys who can get up with him in support and interchange with at will, which will make focusing on Götze a tricky opposition for the defenses Juve would face.
Götze also offers a fair bit of versatility, which is something Allegri loves. The 23-year-old is best behind the striker, but can play anywhere in the attacking midfield band, and can even play as a striker in a pinch if injuries start to leave Juventus thin on the front line. That helps allow Allegri to change his side's shape on the fly without having to make major personnel changes, be it during matches or just from one match to the next. That's a luxury not many managers have, and you know Allegri will be itching to get a player who lets him do it and has buckets of talent in the attacking third of the pitch.
Why it doesn’t make sense
Bayern don't have any particular need to sell Götze right now, and in point of fact may need him more than ever. Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben are now both slowing down and becoming ever-increasing injury risks, and Götze stands to see a big uptick in playing time because of it. With Bayern holding all the cards in potential negotiations, they can just sit back and make Juventus raise their bid higher and higher and higher, a game of chicken that the Italians can't really afford to play.
There's also a big question as to what version of Götze they'd be getting. While he's had spells of dominant play at Bayern, he's also had long stretches of looking poor with the German giants, including bagging just two goals and zero assists for his club after February. He rarely looked like the same player who was so incredible for Borussia Dortmund after moving to Munich, and Juventus would be running a significant risk that they'd be spending a lot of money on a player who might never be that guy again. That's not a risk they can easily afford to take right now.
Likelihood it happens
There's a lot of challenges and pitfalls to getting this deal done, especially with the high risk that a likely sky-high transfer fee would create for Juventus. Between that and Pep Guardiola throwing water on the rumor -- followed closely by Götze walking back from his interest in it -- this past weekend, it's hard to give this rumor a 3/10 chance of coming true.
This is a post from our transfer rumors section. For news, analysis and more, check out the main SB Nation Soccer page.