The window’s final afternoon has produced what could be its most consequential development yet. Jonathan David — whose Juventus career has been one long confirmation of what those who watched him closely already suspected — has been booed off the pitch at the Allianz Stadium after a wretched performance against Parma, and in the hours that followed, Atletico Madrid have opened direct contact with Juventus to discuss a low-cost exit deal. The timing is as urgent as it is painful.
What David’s Parma Performance Confirmed
Tuttosport’s verdict is unsparing. The phrases pile up: little integration, poor physical condition, an approach too soft for top-level Italian football, and too many errors in front of goal for a player marketed as lethal. The stadium’s judgment was delivered unmistakably. David was whistled. The adventure is over in everything but contractual formality.
The purchase of David alongside Openda was, as Tuttosport puts it without diplomatic softening, the signature move of the Comolli failure — two expensive attacking experiments that produced virtually nothing. Now, as the window closes tonight, the imperative is to find an exit that at minimum removes his €6 million annual wage from the books.
Atletico’s Formula: A Low-Cost Loan
From Spain, the signals are clear. Atletico Madrid want David — but not at market value. Their interest, according to sources in Madrid, is structured around a loan with a right of purchase — a replica of the Nico González arrangement last summer, the option they ultimately declined to exercise. The two clubs are in direct contact. Atletico’s sporting need is real: they lost Sorloth to injury and have been short of attacking options since Jackson’s deal with Aston Villa ended their primary summer pursuit.
The Sorloth Reverse Scenario
The most compelling subplot of this final afternoon involves Alexander Sorloth travelling in the opposite direction. The Norwegian, whose personal terms with Juventus have been agreed since June, whose physical profile addresses exactly what Spalletti identified as missing against Parma — “We made 25 crosses and not a single headed chance” — and whose arrival would give the manager the target-man alternative he has been requesting all summer. David to Madrid, Sorloth to Turin. An exchange that resolves both clubs’ attacking needs simultaneously.
Nico González: Confirmed — Unless a Last-Minute Irresistible Offer Arrives
The second significant element of today’s reporting concerns González — who scored the opening goal against Parma and was so impressive in his cameo that Spalletti used the post-match press conference to deliver what amounted to a public confirmation of his place in the squad. “From my side there was never any uncertainty. He has been training on his own on our rest days.” The manager is satisfied. Nico González, for all the summer speculation, is staying — unless Atletico or another club produce a figure that simply cannot be refused in the window’s final hours. That scenario looks less likely by the minute. The Argentine, after the longest summer of his career, is a Juventus player. The manager has said so. The crowd roared when he scored. The case is closed.
