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After reputed Italian journalist Fabrizioi Romano reported yesterday that Aaron Ramsey to Juventus is a done deal, it is only a matter of time before the Bianconeri will have another superstar in their ranks, whose services they are due to secure without having to pay a penny as transfer fee.
Over the years, the club from Turin has not only been one of the best clubs in Europe on the field, but has also done some great deal of business off the pitch, especially when it comes to midfielders.
Some clubs consider themselves lucky when they land a great player or two for free free, but when a club does it almost every transfer window, it is not luck anymore; it is shrewd business.
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Well, they did break the bank to sign Cristiano Ronaldo last summer for €100 million, but it is a fact that they have almost never let a top free agent slip past them..
So, without further ado, let's take a look at the 5 players that Juventus signed for free and got their wage money's worth.
#5 Emre Can
We kick off our list with the latest player to complete a transfer to the Allianz Stadium, defensive midfielder Emre Can.
The Bayern Munich academy product emerged as a key member of the Liverpool side under Jurgen Klopp that challenged Real Madrid for the UEFA Champions League glory last season. Emre Can joined Juventus on a four-year deal from Liverpool last summer, after impressing one and all by his consistent performances as the midfield marshal for the Reds.
He became just the 10th German player to don the famous Black and White stripes when he made his Serie A debut against Chievo Verona on 18 August last year.
Although he scored some absolute screamers while plying his trade in the Premier League, he is yet to open his scoring the Serie A and has only provided one assist in 13 league appearances.
He was one of the hottest free agents of the last season and naturally Juventus, who are experts in free transfers, sealed the deal.
#4 Dani Alves
When Dani Alves decided that he'll be leaving Barcelona after a hugely successful spell, people wondered what his next destination might be. Not surprisingly though, as he was allowed to leave Camp Nou for free, Juventus came calling.
The Brazilian had established himself as one the world's best right backs during his time in Spain with Sevilla and Barcelona, racking up multiple trophies in the process.
He signed for the Italian giants on a two-year deal in 2016 and continued his attacking ways in the Serie A as well.
He managed to score 6 goals and notch up 7 assists in just a season he spent with the club, playing as a wing back at times.
He is one of the most decorated defenders of all times and added the Serie A trophy and the Coppa Italia to his trophy-laden cabinet, before parting ways with the club.
#3 Sami Khedira
The 31-year old Stuttgart-born midfielder who now plays for Juventus, was an integral part of the unassuming Stuttgart team which defied everybody's expectations by claiming the Bundesliga title in the 2006-07 season.
Interestingly, the Germany international has won the league title with every club that he had played for so far and has been most successful in Italy, winning three Serie A titles back to back with Juventus.
He is a solid midfielder, who had established himself firmly in Bianconeri's midfield following the departures of Andrea Pirlo and Paul Pogba over the years.
His move to Turin turned out to be a success for him as he achieved his best scoring stats with the club in the previous season netting 9 goals for the Italian Champions. What a career it's been!
#2 Paul Pogba
We all know this was coming, who can forget that Manchester United, under the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson, had let one of the rising superstars of the game slip through their hands for next to nothing in 2012, only to buy him back for the-then world-record fee in 2016.
Juventus made the most of the wage dispute that pushed Pogba away from Old Trafford and the 19-year old Pogba burst onto the scene with the reigning Italian Champions in the 2012-13 season, making 27 appearances for the club and scoring 5 goals in a campaign that saw him win the Serie A with the club.
Well, signing players for free is a great thing on its own, but when they sold the Frenchman back to his old club in 2016 for €105 million, they proved they are the true kings of the transfer market.
#1 Andrea Pirlo
When we talk about some of the best Italian footballers of our times, the name of Andrea Pirlo has to be definitely in the top three. A world class player with exquisite touch and vision, during his playing days he was a creative force with no match in the Serie A.
Pirlo had already won pretty much everything with Italian giants AC Milan and Italy in the first decade of this century, from Serie A titles, UEFA Champions League trophies, Domestic cups to the FIFA World Cup with his country.
But he was hungry for more and decided to join the other Italian behemoths Juventus in 2011. Gianluigi Buffon went as far as calling his capture on free as the signing of the century, soon after the deal was announced. He said (Via NDTV):
"A player of his level and ability, not to mention that he was free, I think was the signing of the century."
But he truly proved he was a great signing indeed, as he won four consecutive league titles with the club, while also claiming the Serie A player of the Year honor in his final three seasons at the club.
