Who is Lois Openda, Juventus’ new acquisition to replace Randal Kolo Muani
Juventus has its new striker: he is Lois Openda, a Belgian talent born in 2000, who arrived from RB Leipzig after weeks of negotiations. A graft who brings freshness, speed and goals, and who promises to become one of the mainstays of Tudor’s team in the new season.
Born in Liege to a Congolese father and a Moroccan mother, Openda grew up footballing between Standard and Club Bruges. It was at Vitesse, in the Netherlands, that he made his mark with two seasons full of goals and spectacular plays. The real breakthrough came at Lens, where he had an extraordinary year: 21 goals in Ligue 1 and the record for the fastest triple in French league history, three goals in less than five minutes.
His performance convinced Leipzig to invest more than 40 million euros in 2023. In Germany he immediately confirmed his value: 24 goals in his first year in the Bundesliga, numbers that established him among the most interesting bombers of the new European generation.
Juventus chose him after the Kolo Muani track became complicated. The deal was struck with Leipzig on the basis of a loan with right of redemption, which can be transformed into an obligation upon reaching certain targets, for a total sum close to 50 million euros. Openda signed a four-year contract worth about 4 million net per season, confirming the club’s confidence in him.
Openda is not a classic center forward: he measures less than 1.80 but makes up for it with impressive speed (he has exceeded 36 km/h), technique and goal sense. He loves to move all over the offensive front, attacking depth and dialoguing with teammates, proving dangerous both as a finisher and as an assistman. He can play as a center forward, second forward or outside forward, making himself valuable in multiple systems of play.
His arrival offers Juventus a different solution than Dusan Vlahovic: less physicality in the area, but more mobility, dynamism and unpredictability. A perfect profile for modern soccer, made of high pressing, verticality and spaces to attack.
At 25 years old, Openda arrives in Turin at the height of his soccer maturity. He brings with him international experience, the hunger of someone who wants to establish himself at a big club and the ability to score consistently. For Tudor, he represents a key tactical weapon, capable of completing and enriching the offensive department.
If he can quickly acclimatize to Serie A, he can become one of the protagonists of the new Juventus, the one that aims to relaunch itself not only in Italy but also in the Champions League. For Bianconeri fans, Openda is much more than a market purchase: he is the promise of a modern, fast and finally incisive attack.
