The beginning of the new year means the start of the January transfer window, and clubs are already starting to begin preparations to bring in reinforcements mid-season. Juventus are also planning a transfer, that of Felipe Anderson from Lazio.
Juventus have had a resurgence this season after a couple of poor seasons. The Bianconeri have had a brilliant start to the season and are already in second place in the Serie A table. They are only 2 points behind league leaders Inter Milan. To combat this in the second part of the season, Juventus are going to make some signings for the future.
Who is Felipe Anderson?
Felipe Anderson is a Brazilian midfielder who currently plays for Serie A club Lazio. He can also play as a forward or winger, but is best employed as an attacking midfielder. At 30 years old, he may be past his prime, but he has plenty to offer, and Juventus have noticed that.
He spent his youth career at a number of clubs, eventually ending up at Santos, the club that was the birthplace of Brazilian icons Pele and Neymar Jr. as well. He soon made his debut for their senior team in October 2010 and spent three years there, playing alongside Neymar up front.
After a failed transfer to Lazio in the winter of 2013, Felipe would finally get it done in the summer for an agreed sum of €7.8 million. He played for five years there and had a good time there, scoring 25 goals from midfield. In his last season, injuries and other issues marred his performances, and he was sold for £36 million to Premier League club West Ham.
His first season in England was good, as he scored 9 goals, but he suffered in the second season. In the 2020–21 season, he was loaned to Porto, where he only played 5 games. In 2021, he decided to return to Lazio for around €3 million. He regained his form there and has scored 16 goals and was crucial for their impressive performances last season.
On the international level, he only has 2 caps for Brazil and was part of the 2016 Olympic gold medal-winning team.
How much is Felipe Anderson going to cost Juventus?
With his new resurgence in form, Felipe Anderson has attracted some interest from foreign clubs. The 30 year old will see his contract end this summer, as Lazio struggle to tie him down to a new one. Juventus are therefore looking to bring in a good backup player with experience, and the prospect of playing in the Champions League will be crucial to bring him in.
🇧🇷 Felipe Anderson, out of contract in June with Lazio and there’s still no deal in place to sign new contract at this stage.
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) December 7, 2023
Juventus are among clubs monitoring the Brazilian winger as potential free agent solution for next season. @MatteMoretto 🤝🏻 pic.twitter.com/yyAGf7QQlh
According to GOAL, the club has already met with the player’s agent. They are exploring what it would take to bring in the player, and if possible offer him a pre-contract agreement in January itself. This would mean Juventus would get an experienced and quality midfielder with no transfer costs in the summer. However, they will face competition from other clubs as well. Juventus are also interested in Kalvin Philips from Manchester City, though it won’t be easy.
Juventus will now focus on the Coppa Italia match against Salernitana on Friday, while Felipe Anderson and Lazio will face Udinese in the league on Sunday.
