How Juventus signing Dusan Vlahovic, Denis Zakaria also helps Tottenham, Fiorentina and Gladbach

Juventus ended the last transfer window with a frown and a sense of uncertainty. Cristiano Ronaldo had just left, and while it was just a question of whether he'd be moving on for a fee in the summer of 2021 or as a free agent the following August, the fact that his move to Manchester United was only finalized in the dying hours of the window meant they had to scramble for cover. The return of Moise Kean — a loan, with an obligation to make the deal permanent in 2023 — was all they could muster and to many it felt like a gamble to make up the numbers.

Fast forward to the present. Juve's transfer window is closing with the arrival of Dusan Vlahovic — the joint-top scorer in Serie A and the most coveted young center-forward not named Erling Braut Haaland — and Denis Zakaria, not a flashy name, but the defensive specialist in midfield they've been craving. It doesn't just turn the frown upside down; it relaunches the bianconeri as contenders, if not this season (they're 11 points back) then next year.

— Juventus beat Arsenal to sign Dusan Vlahovic

What's more — and this matters to Juventus after racking up more than €300 million in losses in the past two coronavirus-impacted seasons — is that they've helped finance the deal with two outgoing moves that, on paper, shouldn't affect them too much on the pitch. Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur are on their way to Tottenham. Bentancur nets Juventus €19m, plus up to an additional €6m in bonuses. Kulusevski's deal is a reported 18-month loan for €10m with an obligation to make the move permanent for an additional €25m if certain targets — like Tottenham qualifying for the Champions League and Kulusevski appearing in at least half of their matches — are met.

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