Timothy Weah is preparing for the next step in his career trajectory, as Italian giants Juventus are reportedly set to sign the striker from French club LOSC Lille.
According to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, the two clubs are close to agreeing on a £10.3m ($13m) fee for the U.S. national team forward, pending a medical that is scheduled to take place.
Weah, who had one season remaining on his Lille contract, has already accepted the personal terms proposed by Juventus with a five-year deal on the table.
According to reports in Italy, the 23-year-old Weah projects to be the replacement for 35-year-old Colombian Juan Cuadrado, who is out of contract in June 2023. Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri apparently plans to use Weah at Cuadrado’s right wingback spot.
Timothy Weah has accepted all conditions of Juventus proposal. Five year deal agreed, salary also in place as the move is on the verge of being completed. ⚪️⚫️🇺🇸
Juventus and Lille, advancing on final agreement for €12m fee. pic.twitter.com/AZnIzuySHO
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 23, 2023
The Sporting News looks at why Weah’s transfer to Juventus is the perfect deal for all parties involved.
MORE: When does the 2023 summer transfer window close?
Tim Weah joins a perennial Champions League club
Weah joined LOSC Lille from PSG ahead of the 2019/20 season, spending four seasons with the Ligue 1 club. But during that time with Lille, he only played in the UEFA Champions League once. That should change in the five seasons coming up at Juventus.
The French side qualified for Europe’s elite club competition in 2021/22 after surprisingly winning the Ligue 1 title the season before. Lille topped their Champions League group, but were immediately knocked out by Chelsea in the Round of 16. Weah made five appearances in that tournament.
Weah won’t play Champions League football immediately, however. Juventus failed to qualify for the 2023/24 Champions League group stage after they were handed a 10-point deduction toward the end of their Serie A campaign for transfer irregularities. It is the first time that Juventus will not participate in the competition since 2010/11.
However, Juventus are expected to quickly get back to challenging for the Serie A title and occupying the top spots in Italy, where the best four finishers qualify for the Champions League.
The one-year absence from the competition gives the USMNT striker a season to adapt to his new surroundings before taking the next step and becoming a UCL regular.
Moving to a club with Juve’s ambitions is the natural next step for Weah as he looks for more opportunities to showcase his talents on Europe’s biggest stage.
Juventus get versatile speedster
Although Weah is considered to be an attacking player, he can provide versatility that Massimiliano Allegri will surely be looking for in a young player.
Weah has previously played in every position across the attacking front, primarily on the right wing. He has also featured in both full-back roles for Lille, putting his speed, endurance, and accelerations on full display.
Juventus is a team in transition, with many current players linked to moves away from the club, so a player with Weah’s tactical flexibility will be ideal as they seek a new winning formula.
Weah has the ability to take over for Cuadrado, who often plays on the wing or as a right-back, and he can also be pushed upfield to provide a new option in the attack. Weah’s dribbling and daring will be reminiscent of Cuadrado’s runs up and down the flank, and Weah’s quickness will be an asset on the counter-attack, or when running in behind.
Juventus is desperate for an attacking jolt with only Roma (50 goals) having scored fewer goals than Juventus (56 goals) out of the top seven teams in the Italian table.
MORE: How good is Sandro Tonali? Italian star linked to Newcastle
LOSC Lille earn eight-figure transfer fee for role player
Lille have earned a reputation over the years for making intelligent transfers. They made large profits on players such as Nicolas Pepe and Victor Osimhen, while also earning good money from the sales of Sven Botman, Amadou Onana, and Rafael Leao.
Les Dogues signed Weah from PSG in 2019 for £8.54m ($10.9m), which means they would earn roughly 20 percent on their investment in the forward, based on reports citing the transfer fee to be paid by Juventus (£10.3m / $13m).
Weah has largely been a role player for Lille over the past two seasons with stars like Jonathan David and midfielder Angel Gomes often garnering the headlines. In fact, Weah started just 22 of 41 matches (about 54 percent) between Ligue 1 and Coupe de France matches this season.
Due to his more defensive positioning in 2022/23, featuring more often at fullback than at winger, Weah failed to score any goals, and had just two assists.
Given that backdrop, the fee that Lille are receiving from Juventus and the profit made will certainly be seen as a win in northern France.