The Argentine from Atletico remains in the running, ahead of Arnau Martinez from Girona, but in the last few hours, the Kosovar has come back into fashionDETAILS—  These are the details that reveal the depth of a man who, in the words of the announcer before the match, “was a child in the Rossoneri jersey and later became a legend.” Because, when you think about it, this was not Milan’s season debut, but Modric’s. It was the performance of the Rossoneri’s first violin, eagerly awaited and acclaimed by a fanbase hungry to once again sanctify an alpha male at Milanello. In a stadium without ultras and without organized support, the only name that raised the decibel level in the old-fashioned way was his. Allegri, with Landucci on the bench, let him play for 28 minutes, including stoppage time. Position: center midfield, in front of the defense, with Jashari on the left. Applause and enjoyment from the stadium with every touch. Luka and Ardon immediately launched an offensive, earning a corner. Then he brought San Siro to its feet: a double dribble on poor Sibilli in the space of a couple of seconds and a soft right foot shot—too soft—into the goalkeeper’s arms. Then, in the 90th minute, he slipped into the box on the right, running along the back line: a low cross into the six-yard box found no takers. The crowd was angry with his teammates for not understanding where the ball might have ended up. Yes, his teammates would do well to follow his advice.

The final credits could have been the few minutes played in Bergamo against Atalanta. Douglas Luiz came on in the 90th minute, just enough time to get a feel for the pitch and the atmosphere. Negotiations with Nottingham Forest, which had stalled at one point, are now back on track and seem to be going well. The same goes for Nico Gonzalez, who started but failed to shine and is close to joining his compatriot Simeone at Atletico Madrid. These are two big sales from which Juventus expects to cash in at least $60-70 million and which could unlock, in addition to the permanent signing of Randal Kolo Muani (Igor Tudor’s priority), another important addition. The progress of Teun Koopmeiners, who also played in midfield in Bergamo, has shifted the club’s attention more to the wings than to the center of the park, where a low-cost solution (Matt O’Riley on loan from Brighton) is being considered to provide an additional option on the right and in the attacking midfield. Nahuel Molina of Atletico remains a candidate, ahead of Arnau Martinez of Girona, but in recent hours, an old favorite of the Bianconeri, already sought after in the past by Cristiano Giuntoli, has come back into fashion: Edon Zhegrova of Lille.

Talks between Juventus and Atletico for Molina have resumed in recent days, along with those for Nico Gonzalez: the former Udinese player was not on the market until recently, but now the Spanish club has opened the door to a departure, setting the price at €25 million. Juventus remains vigilant, interested in the player who has experience and already knows Serie A, but is also exploring alternative options, such as Arnau Martinez, a young player from Girona who has also been offered to Napoli and Roma. Molina has a World Cup win with Argentina (2022) and two Copa America titles under his belt and is in his prime (27 years old), while Martinez costs less (around €15 million) and is a promising, technical, and versatile player who combines a propensity for running with precision in his passing.

Who’s back—   Molina and Martinez are full-backs who can play across the whole flank, while Zhegrova has different skills. He is an attacking winger who can play in the front three or even behind the strikers, more similar to Nico. Juventus had already scouted him when Giuntoli was still technical director, and now they are back to inquire about him: with Gonzalez leaving and Koop destined for midfield, someone with his characteristics could come in handy. Zhegrova was not even on the bench yesterday in the Ligue 1 match against Brest. He is considered to be on his way out and is no longer part of the club’s plans. Behind the tough stance are contractual reasons: the Kosovar’s contract expires in 2026 and he has refused to renew, which is why he has ended up on the sidelines. The situation is similar to that of Dusan Vlahovic with Juventus. However, Lille has no intention of lowering the price: they are asking between 20 and 25 million, a figure considered high not only for the Bianconeri but also for Marseille, a club interested in the player and further ahead than Juventus. Damien Comolli, the new general manager of the Old Lady, can certainly count on his good relations with the French, in particular with president Olivier Letang.