No, the season has not begun in the best way for Alexander Sørloth. A slow start, conditioned by an injury that seemed minor and instead lasted much longer than expected, has brought back pressing rumours of a possible departure in January, with Juventus pricking up their ears.
A Starter for Norway, a Strange Role
The Norwegian striker was a regular starter in Norway’s big World Cup. Coach Solbakken played him wide on the right so that he would not tread on Erling Haaland’s toes, a rather odd and unprofitable position for the Atlético giant. Back under Diego “Cholo” Simeone, however, Sørloth spent a long time in the infirmary, returning only on 5 October.
A Difficult Week
Last week his presence in the starting eleven against Bayern Munich caused considerable surprise. It was Sørløth’s first start of the season, and it did not go well, either for him, withdrawn before the hour mark, or for Atlético, beaten 2-0 at the Metropolitano by a clearly superior Bayern.
A few days later Madrid hosted Barcelona. Sørløth went back to the bench, came on for the last half hour and disappointed again. Atlético lost once more, and the giant Norwegian failed to make an impact. The home crowd murmured a good deal when he was outmuscled on an aerial ball by the decidedly shorter Pau Cubarsí.
Far From the Sørloth of a Few Months Ago
This is a long way from the brilliant, combative, goalscoring Sørloth of a few months ago. His good performances and goals at Atlético had turned him into a first-choice player in Solbakken’s eyes. His record explains why clubs keep coming back:
- 12 goals at Real Sociedad, where he arrived in summer 2021 on loan from Leipzig.
- That spell prompted Villarreal to invest two years later, and the Yellow Submarine were repaid with 23 league goals in a single season.
- Then Atlético, a further step up, and again 20 league goals with only 15 starts. A renowned super-sub.
- Last year, 13 goals, still a performance of quality.
The Injury
This summer he returned to work with the Cholo on 2 August, and in the first week he suffered a muscle contracture. It did not seem serious, but it became an ordeal lasting nearly two months. Such a long stop clearly conditioned the preparation of a player whose physique needs time to reach full form.
In the meantime, Jonathan David made himself noticed, and Julián Álvarez showed signs of recovery from the bad psychological situation he got himself into by asking to go to Barcelona. Simeone also used other weapons such as Lookman, Baena and Kang-in Lee.
Now Sørloth is available. He is struggling, there is talk of the market, and he turns 31 on 5 December. His future, Gazzetta concludes, is all to be written.
Why It Matters for Juventus
Sørloth is the name Juventus put on the table last summer, when Atlético replied by asking again for Nico González, as Tuttosport’s David piece recounted. He fits the profile of a striker with aerial presence, which Spalletti and several analysts say the team lacks. The trade-off is clear: age, a slow start and a poor week against Bayern and Barcelona.
