Giuntoli: ‘Juventus new buys are an investment’ for talent aged 24-26 | OneFootball

Cristiano Giuntoli outlines the Juventus transfer strategy as part of a ‘process’ to focus on younger players with lower salaries, treating them as an ‘investment.’

The opening Champions League fixture against PSV Eindhoven kicks off at the Allianz Juventus Stadium in Turin at 17.45 UK time (16.45 GMT).

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from this game and Milan-Liverpool on the LIVEBLOG.

The Bianconeri are back in the Champions League after 684 days, having been excluded last season for financial irregularities, which also saw the club docked points in Serie A.

“I am not new to this tournament, but being back in it for Juventus is certainly exciting,” Giuntoli told Sky Sport Italia.

Giuntoli enacting Juventus strategy

Opta point out that the average age of the starting XI this evening is just 25 years and 149 days, a new record as the youngest ever fielded by Juventus in a Champions League match.

There are also four new signings in the opening line-up, having pumped fresh funds into the club coffers for the summer transfer strategy.

“We just started this process, we’re pleased with what we have done, trying to solidify a club that was losing a lot of money, so tried to invest in players from 24-26 years old, lowering the salary bill and growing the group,” explained Giuntoli.

“The signings we made were expensive, but for very young players with relatively low salaries, so we were able to balance out the costs as investment.”