Juventus Transfer Market: Search for a New “Pirlo Deal” Underway—A Liverpool Legend in Their Crosshairs
Juventus Transfer Market: A New “Pirlo Deal” Is in the Works. After building their success in the late 2010s and early 2020s—in part thanks to the signing of several high-profile free agents (one cannot fail to mention the arrival of Paul Pogba in 2012)—the Bianconeri are aiming to repeat that success ahead of the upcoming season. In fact, the club has set its sights on a true Liverpool legend, whose contract with the Reds, however, does not expire until June 2027: Virgil van Dijk. And alongside him, to bolster the Old Lady’s attack, his Dutch national teammate Brian Brobbey could also join the club.
The speculation stems from a report by *La Gazzetta dello Sport*: an emissary in direct contact with Luciano Spalletti, sporting director Marco Ottolini, and an aide to technical director Ricky Massara were in fact in attendance at the Netherlands vs. Germany match, held in Amsterdam as part of the Nations League. The Juventus delegation’s objective was precisely to evaluate the prospects of Brobbey and van Dijk ahead of the upcoming transfer windows. And the possibility that the Dutch center back could join Juventus seems far from out of the question.
After all, it is now certain that van Dijk will leave Liverpool after eight and a half seasons, during which he won two Premier League titles, one Champions League, and made over 370 appearances across all competitions. The defender’s class, experience, personality, and charisma speak for themselves, and even a potentially hefty salary wouldn’t deter Juventus. If anything, the Bianconeri are seeking assurances regarding his physical and athletic condition—a concern they will seek to dispel in the coming months. In the meantime, however, his name has risen to the top of the list of upcoming free agents (Tomori, Kovacic, Raum) whom the club at Continassa will be keeping under very close observation even before 2027 begins.
It must be said that van Dijk has no shortage of admirers elsewhere. According to reports from ‘TeamTalk’, Barcelona had also evaluated the Dutch captain as a potential free-agent signing, only to shift its focus to other targets: Hansi Flick reportedly preferred to make a more forward-looking investment, effectively leaving the field open to competitors. This news can only please Juventus, which would thus find itself facing fewer major rivals in the race to sign the defender.
As for Brobbey, it’s worth noting that the Ajax striker—currently on loan at Sunderland—had a standout summer at the 2026 World Cup held in the United States. Wearing the jersey of Ronald Koeman’s “Oranje,” the 2002-born player showcased his full potential: his two-goal performance against Sweden in the resounding 5-1 victory that propelled the Netherlands to the top of Group F was particularly decisive. These performances ultimately convinced Juventus’s management to add his name to the list of players to be monitored with the utmost attention.
Juventus, after all, is carefully compiling its shopping list for next summer, with a special focus on free agents. In addition to van Dijk and Brobbey, Massara’s desk already features other interesting names: Ruben Loftus-Cheek, a Milan midfielder whose contract expires in June 2027—and for whom Spalletti himself has reportedly already expressed interest—as well as left-backs David Raum of Leipzig and Tyrick Mitchell of Crystal Palace, both of whom are set to become free agents at the end of the season. The free-agent market promises to be brimming with opportunities for the Bianconeri, who are determined to make the most of it, just as they have done in the past with deals that have gone down in history.
