Rome (AFP)

At Juventus, young people to prepare for the future, at Inter, grumblers to conquer the scudetto: in terms of recruitment, the choices have largely differed this season between Bianconeri and Nerazzurri, opposed Sunday evening in the shock at the top of Serie A.

McKennie, Kulusevski, Chiesa, Arthur and Morata at the reigning nine-time Italian champion, 4th before the 18th day.

Hakimi, Vidal, Kolarov, Darmian and the returning Perisic at his Milan challenger, 2nd.

The clash between the two big favorites for the 2021 title is also an opportunity to take stock of the recruitment of last summer, that the January transfer window, sluggish, should not upset.

In Juve, the rejuvenation is launched, since these main recruits are under 25, with the exception of Morata (28).

Conversely, at Inter, the experience was privileged with reinforcements over the age of 30, with the exception of Hakimi (22).

These choices were partly dictated by the financial context, Inter being economically suffocated when Juve still seem to be able to afford substantial investments.

But they also respond to a real philosophy of renewal, embodied by Andrea Pirlo, himself a young coach (41 years old) with new ideas.

The "Maestro" wants versatile players and movement, which was not necessarily the main characteristic of Maurizio Sarri's team last season.

- The McKennie Revelation -

"We have one of the oldest squads in Europe, it's something to think about," Juve president Andrea Agnelli recalled in August after elimination in the Champions League against Lyon.

Several thirty-something left: Miralem Pjanic, Gonzalo Higuain, Blaise Matuidi and Douglas Costa.

By relying on the youth (rookies and members of the Under-23 team), Pirlo sometimes pays the price in terms of results.

His Juve sometimes lacks maturity, still depending on his veteran Cristiano Ronaldo (35).

The ex-Barcelona Arthur has not yet found his feet and Swedish hopeful Dejan Kulusevski is experiencing ups and downs.

Federico Chiesa begins to weigh but the two great satisfactions of the transfer window, at this stage, are Morata, effective as rarely alongside Ronaldo, and the American midfielder McKennie (ex-Schalke 04), noticed by his percussion qualities and already solid at 22.

All of them seem able to last under the black and white jersey.

Among the recruits of Inter, only Achraf Hakimi seems to be able to say the same.

The Moroccan international swift, arrived from Borussia Dortmund where Real Madrid had loaned him, has become precious on the right flank.

Perhaps "one of Inter's best moves in ten years" for ex-star Nerazzurra, Brazilian Ronaldo, who knows a thing or two about speed.

- The Vidal disappointment -

Other reinforcements arouse less admiration.

The Italian international Matteo Darmian and the Croatian Ivan Perisic, loaned to Bayern Munich last season, do not deserve but without being holders.

Aleksandar Kolarov and Arturo Vidal, for whom Inter Milan has certainly paid almost nothing in terms of transfers, are frankly disappointing.

The Chilean, in particular, is far from the warrior that Antonio Conte had known at Juventus.

His season remains for the moment marked by his exclusion in the Champions League against Real Madrid, in a decisive match for the European future of Interiors.

These players, supposed to bring the additional experience that was lacking last season, weigh little for the moment and add to the case of Christian Eriksen, very little used since his arrival in January 2020. Inter are considering loaning the Dane but proposals are rare due to a large salary.

Financially in the red (several months of salaries would not have been paid, according to the press), in search of new investors, Inter Milan will nevertheless have to pursue their dream of scudetto "with these players", warned Conte.

The title.

Common objective of all these recruits when they signed in these prestigious clubs, whether they wear the blue and black tunic or the black and white stripes on Sunday evening.

© 2021 AFP