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With clubs now finally being able to fund their youth academy, teams have had a varied response.
From ignoring it and hoping it goes away, to securing the services of 1 or 2 players, to going all out in signing scouts and improving the clubs’ facilities in order to bring in the best young talent in the world.
Juventus were somewhere in the middle as they shelled out £24,000,000 in order to secure two players. A defender and a midfielder.
The day arrived where Juventus would find out which two players would arrive into the academy set up and if their investment was worth the money.
Up first was the defensive player that Juventus had scouted, a 17 year old Dutch defender by the name of D_van_Buyten who comes with mixed reviews, some claim that he will go on to do great things while others claim he’s no better than what the club have already in the youth academy set up.
Up next was the turn of the midfielder, an attacking midfielder to be precise and 17 year old Englishman S_Gerrard, a very good prospect who is expected to become an all rounder for the club in years to come.
The Juventus manager Andy Banks had this to say on the two players signing with the Juventus youth academy set up;
“The two lads will be looked after here as well do whatever it takes to see them go right to the very top.
Steven will be the main player in our academy as he’s already showing leadership characteristics in his early training sessions so he’s certainly one to watch.
The future of the two lads we’ve signed is uncertain as it often is with youth players as it just depends on how they develop over time but we have a lot of faith that our investment will be more than repaid one way or another.
Obviously, other clubs have invested in players who they’ve come to realise aren’t going to be good enough and now feel like they’ve wasted their money but it’s not the risk you take when investing in anything. Sometimes you invest and it doesn’t pan out and you have to cut your losses while sometimes you get lucky and the investment is repaid and then some. I think we’re on the better end of the scale so we’re happy.
We’ll look to put the two boys on development plans to maximise their potential but it’ll be a good few seasons before we start to see any real development so the fans and the players themselves need to be patient.”