Cristiano Giuntoli joins Juventus as sporting director after leaving Napoli | OneFootball

Cristiano Giuntoli has joined Juventus as their sporting director after leaving Serie A champions Napoli.

The 51-year-old has decided to leave the Partenopei after eight years of service in which he helped build a squad that competed at the top of the Serie A table and won the title last season.

Giuntoli made Napoli a force to reckon with in Europe with excellent captures.

He played football in Serie C and D, appearing for Prato, Colligiana, Latina, Imperia, Sanremese, and Savona. He hung up his boots at the age of 36 before moving upstairs.

The Florence-born transfer chief began his sporting director career at Spezia, with whom he won promotion to Serie B. He moved to Carpi, where he achieved four promotions in five seasons before moving to Napoli in 2015.

When Napoli legends Lorenzo Insigne, Dries Mertens, and Kalidou Koulibaly got to the end of their tenure with the club, he masterminded the signing of Victor Osimhen, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Kim Min-jae to replace them.

Also, he was instrumental in signing Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, Stanislav Lobotka, and more. This core of players led the club to its first title in 33 years.

Giuntoli’s ability to identify top talents has earned him a massive reputation in his native Italy. He moves to the Turin giants, hoping to use his skills to re-establish the Bianconeri.

Following a 10-point deduction for shady transfer-tax dealings, Juventus missed out on the Champions League. They will be playing in the Europa Conference League.

Furthermore, their dilapidating financial situation does not give them enough funds to work with, leaving the new sporting director with plenty to do.

He will work with his new right-hand man Giovanni Manna to lighten the wage bill as they face the post-Andrea Agnelli era. They need to offload a few players.

They are already working on their first signing, with Juventus interested in signing Spezia full-back Emil Holm.