New Koopmeiners role at Juventus can transform strategy | OneFootball

Juventus are trying to revitalise Teun Koopmeiners after a dismal debut season by taking him back to a deeper midfield role, similar to the one he had with Atalanta.

The Netherlands international arrived last summer as a huge investment, costing €58.4m plus bonuses to poach from Bergamo.

His performances made him look like a shadow of the player who had been so admired with Atalanta, and part of that was the tactical position reserved for him by both Thiago Motta and Igor Tudor.

Koopmeiners tweak can revive Juventus

BERGAMO, ITALY – JANUARY 14: Teun Koopmeiners of Juventus FC and Marten de Roon of Atalanta BC battle for the ball during the Serie A match between Atalanta and Juventus at Gewiss Stadium on January 14, 2025 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Scaccianoce/Getty Images)

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Tudor is now experimenting with a tweak that could give Koopmeiners greater control and make the most of his characteristics.

He struggled as a trequartista behind the striker, either in a 3-4-2-1 formation or the 4-2-3-1 system.

The plan therefore is to pull Koopmeiners back into a deeper midfield role, where he can dictate the tempo and spray passes for his teammates.

Teun Koopmeiners of Juventus after the Serie A match between Lecce and Juventus at Stadio Via del Mare on December 01, 2024 in Lecce, Italy. (Photo by Maurizio Lagana/Getty Images)

That in turn is affecting the transfer strategy, because it means Juventus are pushing to find forwards rather than midfielders, even if Douglas Luiz and Weston McKennie are sold.

In the most recent friendly outing against Reggiana, Fabio Miretti was used in the trequartista slot, with Koopmeiners joining Manuel Locatelli in the two-man midfield.