Juventus eye Oyarzabal and Balogun as Kolo Muani deal stalls

Juventus have been trying to sign Paris Saint-Germain’s Randal Kolo Muani for some time but have made no progress.

According to Gianluca DiMarzio, the Bianconeri are considering turning to Mikel Oyarzabal and Folarin Balogun, two players who caught the eye at the 2026 World Cup. 

Oyarzabal has established himself as Spain’s number nine with 29 goals in 59 appearances for La Roja.

He bagged 15 goals in 34 La Liga appearances last term for his boyhood club Real Sociedad.

The 29-year-old has been their talisman for years, rejecting moves to bigger outfits to continue his legend in Spain.

It remains to be seen if Oyarzabal will finally be open to leaving the Basque club this summer.

Elsewhere, Balogun continues to cement his reputation as an underrated centre-forward. The American has all the tools in his arsenal to become a world-class striker.

Injuries have hampered his consistency, but on his day, he is a complete, lethal forward who can spearhead a team to titles.

Both men are excellent options for Juventus, but the lack of ambition and foresight they continue to show is alarming. 

While either signing is an improvement over Dusan Vlahovic, the listless Lois Openda and the struggling Jonathan David, neither feels like the transformative addition Juventus desperately need. 

Oyarzabal is a proven, intelligent forward entering the latter stages of his prime, while Balogun remains a high-upside project rather than a guaranteed elite striker. 

They are solid options, not statement signings from a team that wants to wrestle back the Scudetto. That has become a recurring theme in Turin. 

Instead of targeting players capable of restoring Juventus to Europe’s top table, the club continues to shop in the second tier of the market. 

If the Bianconeri truly want to challenge for the Champions League again, they need ceiling-raisers, not merely incremental upgrades.