Pape Matar Sarr has given his first official interview as a Juventus player — and the words he chose to open his Bianconero chapter say a great deal about the player, his ambitions, and the weight of the shirt he has just pulled on.
“The Biggest Names Have Been Here — This Club Means a Great Deal to Me”
Sarr opened with a statement of genuine reverence for the institution he has joined. “My first impressions are that Juventus is a great club — one through which the greatest names have passed. Zidane, Paul Pogba, Platini. This club means a great deal to me. It is a great club and I am very happy to be here — genuinely enthusiastic to begin this adventure with Juventus.”
The names he reaches for are revealing. Not recent signings, not statistical benchmarks — but the players who have defined what Juventus means across generations. A player who frames his arrival in those terms understands the history he is walking into.
“I’m a Box-to-Box Player — I Like to Score, Defend, and Help the Team”
On his style of play, Sarr was precise and entirely consistent with what scouts and observers have said about him throughout his Tottenham career. “I can describe my style: I am a player who likes to play football, with a box-to-box profile. I also like to score, to help the team play, to defend well and protect the team. I like contributing to the team’s game — that is how I would describe myself.”
It is a self-assessment worth taking seriously. The box-to-box description is accurate — he covers ground in both directions, arrives late into the box, and defends with genuine intensity. His goal tally of 11 from 141 Tottenham appearances — plus two in the Europa League-winning campaign — confirms that scoring is a real part of his game rather than an aspiration. The mention of defending and protection reflects the awareness Spalletti has been demanding from every player in his squad since the first day of pre-season.
“Pogba Is My Model Among Former Juventus Players”
The answer that will generate the most discussion — and the most affection among supporters of a certain vintage — was delivered without hesitation when asked which former Juventus player he most admires. “Among the former Juventus players, I think my model is Paul Pogba.”
It is a choice that speaks to something genuine in Sarr’s footballing DNA. Pogba at his best — powerful, dynamic, capable of arriving into the box and finishing, combining defensive solidity with attacking contribution — is precisely the profile Sarr himself aspires to. Both are Senegalese in heritage; both play the box-to-box role as their natural home. Whether the comparison will ultimately flatter or pressurise the new arrival is a question the season will answer. For now, the ambition embedded in the choice is unmistakable.
“I Cannot Wait to See You All at the Stadium — Forza Juventus”
The final message was directed at the supporters with the warmth of a player who means it. “Hello Juventus fans — I am very happy to be here and I cannot wait to see you all at the stadium. Forza Juventus.”
