After losing his starting spot to Mattia Perin , many believe that the writing is already on the wall for Juventus goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio .
The 28-year-old's arrival in the summer of 2024 was met with overwhelming approval from Bianconeri supporters, especially after being named the Best Goalkeeper in Serie A in his final campaign at Monza.
The Italian shot-stopper proved to be one of the best coups from Cristiano Giuntoli's brief era at the club, at least based on last season's performances.
However, he developped a knack for committing costly howlers this term, which eventually convinced Luciano Spalletti to drop him from the starting lineup.
While one match on the bench could be a warning sign, two is even more alarming, whereas three straight omissions suggest that this might be the new status quo. So it remains to be seen if Spalletti will opt to start Perin for a fourth straight time in Udine.
The coach's next selection could have massive implications, and in our humble opinion, it is past time for Di Gregorio to return to the starting lineup, at least due to the following three reasons.
The Milan native may have fallen on hard times, but he had also produced heroics not so long ago, including a Man of the Match performance against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Even in the Derby d'Italia, where his blunder gifted Inter the lead, he managed to bounce back and pull off a series of masterful saves.
There is certainly a brilliant custodian within Di Gregorio, but he just needs to find his form again.
Once upon a time, Juve's goal was guarded by arguably the greatest No.1 of all time. Hence, the Bianconeri are not too accustomed to goalkeeping howlers.
Nevertheless, mistakes are part of the sport, even if Gigi's iconic career might defy this notion. Even Wojciech Szczesny , who was considered a reliable custodian, had his low points during a largely positive stint in Turin, with many calling for him to be dropped from the lineup at times.
In Mattia Perin, Juventus have one of the finest second-choice goalkeepers in Europe. Nevertheless, we're talking about a shot-stopper who has been at the club since 2018, but was never able to lock down a starting role.
At the age of 33, Perin is unlikely to make that one last leap in quality that saw him snubbed over the past eight years.
Although he didn't commit any major mistakes during the current run, he hasn't been totally convincing.
Therefore, if Di Gregorio and Perin are considered almost at par in terms of quality, at least the former may still have his best years ahead of him, and betting on the younger option is often more rewarding.
