14 December 2016
Daniele Rugani has today committed his long-term future to Juventus, renewing his contract for another five years which will keep him with the club until 2021.
Classy, composed, timely in the challange and also among the goals of late, Rugani is quickly developing into an outstanding defender that coach Massimiliano Allegri believes has what it takes to be a key Juventus player for many years to come, and it’s easy to see why.
Since signing from Empoli in the summer of 2015, the towering Tuscan has made 29 appearances for the Bianconeri, playing in 26 victories and posting impressive defensive statistics in the process, not least the 37 interceptions made and 123 times he has regained possession – clear results of his intelligent reading of the game, combined with ever increasing physical strength.
Expert in breaking up opposition attacks, Rugani is also becoming a key creative force from Juve’s defensive third. His average of 74 completed passes per Champions League match this term is almost double the average for players in his position (38).
Likewise in the league, his average of 20 passes forward per game comfortably beats the average of 16 for Serie A defenders.
If all of that wasn’t already encouraging enough, the Italy international, who played his first full 90 minutes for the Azzurri in November, has also added a goal threat to his ever-expanding armoury after finding the net against Cagliari, Atalanta and Dinamo Zagreb.
At the age of just 22, Rugani still has plenty of time on his side to keep growing into the world-class defender he’s destined to become and, thanks to today’s contract renewal, do so in the colours of Juventus.
