Kwadwo Asamoah

[Socrates 7962]

Injured Kwadwo Asamoah refuses to travel to Ghana
for holidays; remains in Italy to speed up recovery

Injured Juventus star Kwadwo Asamoah refused to travel to Ghana for holidays as he bids to fasten his recovery.

Dec 28, 2014

Asamoah has been missing in action for Italian champions Juventus after undergoing a knee surgery late last month.

The 26-year-old was given an all clear to join his family for the Christmas but declined.

The Ghana international decided to stay with the medics at Juventus in a bid to speeding up his recovery.

“He hasn’t been home for Christmas and it doesn’t look like he will be coming home for the New Year,” a close pal to the player told Ghana’s number one site GHANASoccernet.com.

“He wants to get over the injury as soon as possible and has decided to remain in Italy instead of coming home.”

Asamoah is expected to be back in training in February 2015.

[Socrates 7962]

Asamoah nears return

Feb 13, 2015

Juventus’ Kwadwo Asamoah can return to training in two weeks, after a checkup on his knee injury gave positive news.

The Ghanaian has been out since November after undergoing surgery to repair cartilage in his left knee.

However, in a statement on their official website, the Bianconeri announced that the former Udinese man will soon return to training.

“Kwadwo Asamoah… returned to Barcelona yesterday for a check-up following his knee surgery in December.

“Dr. Ramon Cugat, who performed the operation, said he was extremely satisfied with the progress made by the midfielder and gave him the green light to start running again within the next two weeks.

“Further tests will be conducted in the next month to ascertain his exact return date.”

[Socrates 7962]

Asamoah to return to Juventus training
in ten days after five-month absence

Ghana midfielder Kwadwo Asamoah is set to make a return to training with Italian giants in the next
ten days after a five-month injury-induced absence, GHANAsoccernet.com can exclusively report.

Apr 16, 2015

The news is a massive boost for coach Avram Grant as the Ghana coach could have the talented player for the start of 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in June.

The midfielder is expected to join his club team-mates in training within the next ten days after recovering from a career threatening knee injury, insiders at Juventus have exclusively told Ghana’s leading football news outlet.

Asamoah could even return to action for Juventus in their midweek league match against Fiorentina on 29 April, the club’s doctors are confident.

The 26-year-old started training in the gym last month in preparation for his return to full-scale training with the Bianconeri after suffering the damaging injury.

Now doctors have cleared him to return to full scale training with the entire team which is a massive boost for Ghana in their qualifiers for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations.

The ex-Udinese man was ruled out of action for four months back in December 2014 after picking up a knee injury, which forced him to miss the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations.

The Ghana national team stalwart was forced to miss the recently concluded 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Equatorial Guinea due to the injury, and the required surgery to correct his knee problem, which was a success.

The Black Stars went on to reach the final of the competition before losing to Cote D’Ivoire in a penalty shoot-out.

Asamoah had been one of the most important players for Juventus before his injury, playing a versatile role in the squad which included his ability to adapt to the left back and midfield positions.

Bianconero coach Massimiliano Allegri will be pleased to hear about the positive progress of his player, as the season heads towards the business end, and the UEFA Champions League comes back into the picture for Juve.

[Socrates 7962]

Asamoah Targeted By English Premier League Sides

Jun 11, 2015

Juventus’ Ghanaian midfielder Kwadwo Asamoah is attracting strong interest from the English Premier League with several suitors ready to move, if the player decides to the leave the Bianconeri.

Asamoah has endured a difficult season with Juventus after he picked up a knee injury in November that kept him out of action until he returned to training in late April.

According to a report broadcast on SportItalia’s Transfer Special, it was made clear that multiple Premier League clubs are keeping tabs on the 26-year-old and waiting for the opportunity to swoop in for the energetic midfielder.

Due to his injury problems this season, he has managed just 10 appearances, seven of which came in Serie A.

The Ghanaian joined the Bianconeri from Udinese in 2012 and quickly established himself in Antonio Conte’s plans, and now has three Scudetto titles in his three seasons with the club.

[Socrates 7962]

English interest in Asamoah

http://www.football-italia.net/68434/english-interest-asamoah?

 
Jun 29, 2015

Arsenal and Chelsea are reportedly interested in Juventus’ Kwadwo Asamoah, but the Bianconeri are not keen to sell.

The Ghanaian missed the second half of last season with a knee injury, making just 10 appearances across all competitions.

Capable of playing at left wing-back or in central midfield, Tuttosport believes that the 26-year-old is attracting interest from the English Premier League.

The sports daily reports Chelsea and Arsenal are both tracking the former Udinese man, but Juve are said to be unwilling to sell the player.

The Old Lady are short of options on the left-side of defence, with 34-year-old Patrice Evra first choice in Asamoah’s absence, and Paolo De Ceglie and Angelo Ogbonna the alternatives.

[Socrates 7962]

What´s next for Kwadwo Asamoah?

http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2015/7/4/8886753/juventus-kwadwo-asamoah-max-allegri-tactics

 
Jul 4, 2015

It looks like the debate about the future for Kwadwo Asamoah is by now a recurrent topic, a kind of déjà vu.

As we all know, Asamoah arrived at Juventus as a rising star in 2011 after he played a key role in Udinese's midfield. That year the Zebrette finished third in Serie A and reached the Champions League playoffs. The next couple of seasons, he proved his worth playing left wingback in Antonio Conte´s 3-5-2. However, with Max Allegri using mostly a 4-3-1-2 formation, and after a season troubled by injuries, perhaps is time — once again — to reconsider the role of Asamoah for the 2015-2016 campaign.

The first thought about Asamoah playing in a four-man defense came from himself in an interview during last year's World Cup after the defeat against United States. He said:

"Everyone knows the role in which I can give my best, I’ve never liked playing in defense but when you are asked to do so what can you do? I think I am one of the players on the pitch with the most quality and I am very useful when I help out in attack. I don’t like playing in defense and I don’t think I can help the team there. My role is offensive."

(Source: Football Italia)

Something tells me he doesn´t like the idea, right? Asamoah is a professional and the ultimate team player (and, of course, he´s talking about Ghana, not Juventus). Nonetheless, one situation is when you take one for the club and another is when you play in your desired position. It´s hard to believe that he would request a transfer, yet the fact that he considers himself a midfielder says a lot.

On the other hand is the depth of Juventus´ roster, beginning with the left backs. Patrice Evra was a pleasant surprise, however, he is 34 years old already and can´t play forever. Martin Caceres plays that position for Uruguay where he has been very good, but he´s had injury concerns of his own over the years. Fan favorite Simone Padoin is serviceable at best and, of course, I don’t consider our resident DJ, Paolo De Ceglie as an alternative (for a better understanding of the fullbacks situation, please check BWRAO last season ratings).

Possibly, this is the major obstacle for Asamoah on his quest to the midfield, without him the LB position is not quite solid right now.

In the same way, Juventus´ midfield status is a little tricky. Right now it looks fully loaded, however Andrea Pirlo is on his way to the Big Apple and Paul Pogba is represented by "super-agent" Mino Raiola (you already know what that means). So maybe, there is a chance that Asamoah could find a spot for him sooner or later. Additionally, the "always trustworthy" English tabloids are reporting that Arsenal is interested in Asamoah, making his future even hazier.

For now, it´s hard to know what will happen to Kojo, possibly this transfer window could bring clarity to his case. (For example, imagine the impact of Juventus signing Matteo Darmian…just sayin´.)

Asamoah´s quality and work ethic are unquestionable and I hope his career in Turin continues for many years. That being said, I expect Juventus will give him a chance to show his class in the middle on a weekly basis, just because he has already earned it.

[Socrates 7962]

Asamoah back in three weeks

http://www.football-italia.net/71029/asamoah-back-three-weeks?

 
Aug 14, 2015

Juventus’ Kwadwo Asamoah has been cleared to return to training within three weeks, as he recovers from knee surgery.

The Ghanaian international missed most of last season, having gone under the knife to fix a recurring problem with his knee cartilage.

Asamoah has not featured for the Bianconeri during pre-season, but in a statement on their official website, the Turin giants have confirmed that the midfielder is on the road to recovery.

“Good news for Kwadwo Asamoah,” the Press release began.

“The Ghanaian midfielder, examined by Professor Ramon Cugat in Barcelona today, has been given the green light to step-up his on-pitch work, and to join up with the team in three weeks.”

[Socrates 7962]

Juventus announce Kwadwo Asamoah
will return to training in three weeks

http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2015/8/14/9156359/juventus-announce-kwadwo-asamoah-will-return-to-training-in-three-weeks

 
Aug 14, 2015

In the calendar year, Kwadwo Asamoah only has one more official appearance in a Juventus jersey than I do. That's not because he's a bad player or anything close to it. But out of all the injury problems Juve have dealt with over the last 12 months, Asamoah has unfortunately been one of the poster boys because he's missed so much time last season.

And, as it turns out, he's set to miss even more time with the 2015-16 Serie A season kicking off in less than two weeks.

Let's just go to Juventus' official website and see what they have to say, shall we? They tend to have information there from time to time. (Yes, more than that.)

Kwadwo Asamoah and Juventus received good news on Friday, as the Ghanaian was given the green light to step up his preparations for a return to action.

Medical examinations held today in Barcelona concluded that the midfielder will be able to train again with team-mates in approximately three weeks.

So let's just do a quick recap here...

That's three from now that Asamoah will actually start training with the full group. Then, you would like to think, it's going to be another week or two before he has anything close to match fitness. So maybe we should shoot for the end of September or beginning of October before we see Asamoah in an actual game? Even though we now know when Asamoah will start training with the full squad again, it's really hard to say at this point.

Even if the idea is to move Asamoah back to the center of the midfield full time this season, it's going to be a good amount of time before we actually see him doing so. That depth we thought Juventus would have in the midfield even with the departures of Arturo Vidal and Andrea Pirlo is looking a little thinner with Asamoah and summer signing Sami Khedira out of action for the better part of the next two months.

So, essentially, Juventus head into the season at least one starting midfielder hurt and probably one of the first choices off the bench missing as well. That means, no matter what formation Max Allegri uses in the next month or two, more early-season playing time for Stefano Sturaro and Roberto Pereyra. That can be a good thing knowing they're two young players with plenty of potential and room to grow. But it's pretty easy to figure out that if it was up to Allegri and everybody else, Juventus dealing with injuries to key players is the last thing any of us wanted to be talking about.

[Socrates 7962]

Asamoah off UEFA list

http://www.football-italia.net/72432/asamoah-uefa-list?

 
Sep 1, 2015

Juventus have not included Kwadwo Asamoah or Simone Padoin in their squad for the Champions League.

The deadline for clubs to name their 25-man squad is this evening, and the Bianconeri have submitted a list of 23 players to UEFA, leaving two spaces as they could not name enough players developed by the club, of which there should be four.

Asamoah was thought to be nearing a return to fitness following knee surgery, but has not been included for the group stages, with Padoin also left out.

New signings Mario Lemina, Paulo Dybala, Alex Sandro and Mario Mandzukic are all included, along with Sami Khedira, who is also currently injured.

The Old Lady will face Sevilla, Manchester City and Borussia Monchengladbach.

Juventus Champions League squad: Buffon, Chiellini, Caceres, Khedira, Zaza, Marchisio, Morata, Pogba, Hernanes, Alex Sandro, Barzagli, Cuadrado, Mandzukic, Lemina, Bonucci, Dybala, Rugani, Neto, Lichtsteiner, Sturaro, Evra, Pereyra, Audero.

[Socrates 7962]

Kwadwo Asamoah's Juventus return still uncertain

When and where will we see him again?

http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2015/9/21/9365855/kwadwo-asamoahs-return-uncertain-juventus-injury

 
Sep 21, 2015

Kwadwo Asamoah has been missing from the Juventus lineup for a long, long time. The player's last appearance in Juve colors was in November of last year when he had picked up a career-threatening knee injury at the time, which resulted in him getting hyaline cartilage surgery done in December. Click here for the BWRAO post regarding the player's injury and subsequent surgery. Here's the club's brief statement, courtesy of juventus.com, from back in December:

While his team-mates were out training, Kwadwo Asamoah was in Barcelona to undergo arthroscopic surgery designed to fix torn cartilage in his left knee. Operated on by Dr. Cugat and accompanied by club doctor Causarano, the Ghanaian is expected to return to competitive action within three to four months.

That original recovery timeline has been pushed back several times, with the player finally making it back to Vinovo in the earlier part of September. Asamoah featured in a warmup game for Juve too, against fifth division side Cheraschese on the 4th of September.The Bianconeri won 3-1 with goals from Alvaro Morata, Dybala and Stefano Pellini.

Asamoah was supposed to have returned to training with his teammates, but his delayed return to the pitch resulted in Juventus being forced to exclude him from the UEFA Champions League squad list which was due on September 1st. Since then he has been training with his teammates but was mysteriously not named in the squad for last weekend's game at Genoa.

There are a couple of possibilities for the versatile player when he does make it back into the team. The signing of Alex Sandro during the summer mercato means he most likely will not be used in the left wingback position again. With both Claudio Marchisio out again and no sign of Sami Khedira returning to the lineup anytime soon, there are certain sections of the Bianconeri fanbase clamoring for the Ghanaian to slot in at the regista position.

However, debutant and new signing Mario Lemina looked very composed in the middle of the park against Genoa so the pressure is off Massimiliano Allegri for the time being to use Asamoah in that role, in the Seria A at least since Asamoah is not even in the Champions League squad.

To add more mystery, unsubstantiated rumours circulating are that Juve could be pursuing a swap deal with AC Milan in January for Asamoah with Nigel de Jong in the January transfer window. Putting aside your opinions of the Dutchman in the Old Lady's colours, getting an enforcer feels like a throwback to the days of Felipe Melo and the consecutive seventh-place finishes.

[Socrates 7962]

Asamoah: I Have Grown A Lot During My Spell On The Sidelines

http://forzaitalianfootball.com/2015/10/asamoah-i-have-grown-a-lot-during-my-spell-on-the-sidelines/?

 
Oct 10, 2015

Juventus midfielder Kwadwo Asamoah has discussed his injury problems saying that it has been emotionally hard for him to be absent from first-team football for so long.

The Ghanaian midfielder missed the whole of last season with recurring knee injuries, but did finally make his return to playing in the 3-1 win against Bologna.

“It was a difficult time for me, because it’s something that has never happened to me in my career,” said Asamoah to Sky Sport Italia.

“It was hard to stay at home for so long, my family helped me a lot and my team-mates have also been really helpful.

“It’s not been easy for me to sit out for so many months, it has been a time of growth for me.”

The Ghanaian midfielder has been at Juve since joining from Udinese in 2012.

[Socrates 7962]

Juventus lose Pereyra, Asamoah

http://www.football-italia.net/74860/juventus-lose-pereyra-asamoah?

 
Oct 26, 2015

Juventus have lost Roberto Pereyra and Kwadwo Asamoah to muscular injuries, the club confirms.

Pereyra came off injured after 37 minutes of yesterday’s win over Atalanta, and faces over a month on the sidelines.

His replacement Asamoah has also succumbed to a muscular injury, and is out for the next three weeks.

“During the match, El Tucumano [Pereyra] suffered a muscular problem in his right thigh,” a statement on the Bianconeri’s official website confirmed.

“Diagnostic tests carried out this morning showed a second-degree injury to semimembranosus muscle, with the recovery time needed estimated to be 40 days.

“The Ghanaian midfielder [Asamoah] also suffered a muscular problem, a first-degree injury to the biceps femoris of the left thigh, so the prognosis for recovery is 20 days.”

[Socrates 7962]

What Does the Future Hold for Kwadwo Asamoah at Juventus?

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2596916-what-does-the-future-hold-for-kwadwo-asamoah-at-juventus?

 
Dec 11, 2015

Juventus have suffered with countless injuries this season, with a variety of knocks robbing the side of some important players at crucial times. Ongoing health problems were a major factor in their early struggles, and even though the team have clearly improved, the issues have clearly persisted.

Indeed, as the Bianconeri headed to Spain for this week’s meeting with Sevilla, coach Massimiliano Allegri was forced to leave a number of his men behind. As this list of those who travelled—per the club’s official website—shows, Patrice Evra, Hernanes, Sami Khedira, Mario Mandzukic, Roberto Pereyra, Martin Caceres and Mario Lemina were all absent.

In addition, Simone Padoin and Kwadwo Asamoah remained in Turin, both having been omitted from the club’s Champions League squad for 2015/16. While the former was left out to allow other players space to shine, the latter’s long-term injury problems were the reason for his exclusion.

Last week’s Serie A meeting with Lazio saw Asamoah make his first start of the campaign, and the midfielder had made just two substitute appearances before that outing. With just 10 starts—and a total of just 884 minutes of action—last season, his impact at Juventus has been dramatically reduced.

That stands in stark contrast with his 45 appearances in 2013/14, with only five of those coming from the bench as the Ghanaian established himself as a key figure in Antonio Conte’s 3-5-2 system.

Fielded almost exclusively as a left wing-back, Asamoah contributed two goals and four assists that season, with statistics courtesy of WhoScored.com showing he also averaged 2.0 tackles and 1.6 interceptions per game.

Allegri's arrival gave Juventus a far more tactically flexible approach, while the signing of Patrice Evra provided the coach with an experienced and orthodox full-back on the left flank. Alex Sandro has since supplemented that duo, and Asamoah’s continual injury problems leave him at a crossroads.

Rapidly closing in on 100 appearances for the club, both parties will likely need to consider their position this summer. Juventus are clearly well-covered in the defensive role that was once Asamoah’s regular slot, and they also have a raft of young midfielders with very promising futures.

Mario Lemina continues to improve, while the emergence of Stefano Sturaro was discussed at length in this previous post. Furthermore, Allegri discussed the squad’s core of young players at a press conference this week (h/t Football Italia), adding the name of homegrown 18-year-old Mattia Vitale to the list:

[Paulo] Dybala is growing, and we also have to include Vitale in that group, he’s a lad who is always with us and has improved a lot in the last two months. I think he’s a lad who could carve out a space for himself during the course of the campaign, and that shows that there are good youngsters at Juventus, guided well by a group of older ones, who understand the responsibility they have.

It remains to be seen whether Asamoah still has a role to play there, but the clash with Lazio showed just what he has to offer. As the graphic in the tweet below shows, the 27-year-old completed 13 of his 19 pass attempts, won two tackles, won one aerial duel and was successful on the one occasion he took on a defender.

Adam Digby @Adz77
Kwadwo Asamoah #LazioJuve (Dec 4 2015): 13/19 passes, 2 tackles, 1/1 aerial duels, 1/1 take-ons (via @StatsZone)

Possessing all the skills to be a viable alternative to Paul Pogba on the left of Juve’s midfield three, if Asamoah can remain healthy, there is no reason why he cannot be an important figure as the club battle on three fronts.

The Champions League, Coppa Italia and Serie A mean there are plenty of games to be played, and Kwadwo Asamoah is a proven winner and an international-quality midfielder. For the grand Old Lady of Italian football—desperate to continue her recent winning run—he is a good man to have around for the foreseeable future.

[Socrates 7962]

Asamoah: ‘I’m not injured’

http://www.football-italia.net/77138/asamoah-%E2%80%98i%E2%80%99m-not-injured%E2%80%99?

 
Dec 15, 2015

Juventus midfielder Kwadwo Asamoah insists “I am not injured” despite being left out of the squad on Sunday.

The Ghanaian international, who can also play at wing-back, has made just 10 Serie A appearances across the last two seasons, as he’s struggled with a series of injuries.

Asamoah was not included in the Bianconeri squad for the win over Fiorentina at the weekend, leading to speculation he had relapsed.

“I am feeling very good,” Asamoah told Ghanasoccernet.

“I have been training very well with my teammates. I am not injured. I just finished another training session with my club and it went really well.

“The club will be including me in the Champions League squad in January.”

[Socrates 7962]

Asamoah: ‘Dybala can be the best’

http://www.football-italia.net/78562/asamoah-%E2%80%98dybala-can-be-best%E2%80%99?

 
Jan 18, 2016

Kwadwo Asamoah believes his Juventus teammate Paulo Dybala “has all the ability to become one of the best players around”.

The 22-year-old joined the Bianconeri from Palermo this summer, and has been a key figure in the Old Lady’s 10-game winning run, with 11 goals and seven assists in his 19 Serie A games.

“Paulo is proving what a talent he is right now,” Asamoah told Sky.

“I’m not surprised having seen what he was capable of during his time at Palermo. At 22-years-old, he’s still very young and he has all the ability to become one of the best players around.”

Asamoah has missed much of the last two seasons with a series of knee injuries, but is now ready to return to regular action.

“There were several moments when I asked myself when I would get back playing again, because, whenever things were looking on the up, there would always be a new setback throwing my progress off course.

“Right now, though, I’m in good shape. During the entire week leading up to the game, I felt that things were going well.

“Of course, it’s up to the Coach [Max Allegri] to decide who starts, but I could sense that I was ready. I’m delighted that we managed to win a very important match [against Udinese], just like the previous nine.

“Midfield or wing-back? I enjoy playing in both roles very much. I’m happy to have returned to the middle of the park, where I first started my career, but I also feel at ease on the wing thanks to my first couple of years at Juve.”

The Turin giants had just 12 points after the first 10 Serie A games, but have picked up 30 in the subsequent 10 fixtures.

“After a tough start, we all realised what the areas were that we needed to work on and we’ve now returned to the high standards to which we are accustomed.

“We’ve our own objectives and we need to keep grafting away in order to continue improving, developing and winning as many matches as possible, after which we’ll see how far we’ve come.”

[Socrates 7962]

Juventus lose Mandzukic & Asamoah to injury

The Croatian striker is likely to miss the first leg of the Champions League
last-16 tie against his former club Bayern Munich as a result of a muscle problem.

http://www.goal.com/en/news/723/serie-a/2016/01/29/19803122/-?

 
Jan 29, 2016

Juventus duo Mario Mandzukic and Kwadwo Asamoah have suffered muscle tears, with the striker likely to miss the first leg of the Champions League last-16 tie against Bayern Munich.

Both players complained of discomfort following the 3-0 Coppa Italia win over Inter on Wednesday and underwent medical tests to determine the extent of the damage.

Mandzukic is set for four weeks on the sidelines and could miss the home clash against his former club, while Asamoah has been ruled out for up to three weeks.

A club statement confirmed that the Ghana international "has suffered a torn biceps femoris in his right thigh and is expected to be sidelined for two to three weeks.

"Tests on Mandzukic, meanwhile, revealed a torn gemellus muscle, with the Croatian forward's rehabilitation process estimated to last a month."

Both players will miss forthcoming league meetings with Chievo, Genoa and Frosinone, with Asamoah fighting to be fit in time for the top-of-the-table clash against Napoli on February 13.

[Socrates 7962]

Juventus midfielder Kwadwo Asamoah, striker
Mario Mandzukic ruled out due to injury

http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2016/1/29/10872812/juventus-kwadwo-asamoah-mario-mandzukic-injury-2016-serie-a-champions-league

 
Jan 29, 2016

The nice thing about Juventus' 11-game Serie A winning streak and rise up the table is that we've seen the squad get progressively healthier as the time has gone by. All of those injuries that seemed to pop up after every single game weren't the case. Other than the long-term injuries, the consistency of players missing time wasn't like it was come August and September.

That's not really the case anymore. Yep, it's another injury post, boys and girls. And this time, it is not one that the author was in the mood to write come the time news came about. (Not that writing injury posts are ever a pleasant kind of thing to do, but you probably figured that out months — or even years — ago by now.)


From Juventus' official website:

Kwadwo Asamoah and Mario Mandzukic both underwent medical checks today after reporting injuries during Wednesday's Coppa Italia triumph over Inter at Juventus Stadium.

The Ghanaian midfielder has suffered a torn biceps femoris in his right thigh and is expected to be sidelined for two to three weeks.

Tests on Mandzukic meanwhile revealed a torn gemellus muscle, with the Croatian forward's rehabilitation process estimated to last a month.

DAMMIT. DAMMIT ALL TO HELL.

Okay, let's just to this thing out now.

While he hasn't appeared in many games this season, Asamoah has been pretty dang good when he's been on the field — especially in his last couple of starts. And with Juve competing on three fronts until at least the early stages of March at the very least, the chances for Asamoah to get on the field would have certainly been there even though he's not a full-time starter in the midfield these days.

The list of games that Mandzukic will miss is a pretty lengthy one considering how packed the schedule is these days: Chievo, Genoa, Frosinone, Napoli, Bologna and the first leg of the Champions League Round of 16 tie against Bayern Munich in Turin. We might also have throw the first of the back-to-back games against Inter at the end of February as well, but the timetable currently set out basically has that as a 50-50 shot at this point. We'll see.

I guess this means we'll get to see a lot more of Álvaro Morata and how breaking out of his 20-game scoreless streak will impact his playing going forward. If the partnership with Paulo Dybala does click, though, then that's going to more than make up for the loss of Mandzukic. And give us a glimpse of what the future may hold. That would be pretty cool.

[Socrates 7962]

Asamoah: ‘Juventus want the double’

http://www.football-italia.net/82014/asamoah-%E2%80%98juventus-want-double%E2%80%99?

 
Mar 29, 2016

Kwadwo Asamoah says Juventus want a Coppa Italia and Scudetto double, but “it won’t be easy”.

The Bianconeri are three points clear at the top of Serie A, and have already secured a place in the cup final against Milan, having won both competitions last season.

“We started badly, then we’ve succeeded in a great comeback,” Asamoah told Sky.

“Now we can’t throw away what we’ve done. At the end all that counts is who wins.

“We’ll have to make an extra effort in these last eight games. They’ll all be difficult, and to get the Scudetto we’ll have to win at least seven, but we’re ready.

“The double? We’ll try. It won’t be easy to repeat it after last year, but we’ll work hard to achieve it.”

Asamoah has been plagued by injury, making just 12 Serie A appearances across the last two seasons, but the Ghanaian believes his versatility will be useful for the run-in.

“I can play in multiple roles, but certainly after the injury I’ll need time to return to top form. I’m happy if my team wins, even if I play less. I just try to do my best when it’s my turn.

“There are 11 players on the pitch, the important thing is to know that if you come on, even five minutes can make a difference.

“Take the Napoli game for example, Simone Zaza came on, he played really well and he scored the winning goal.

“That’s our strength.”

Finally, the former Udinese man praised teammate Paul Pogba, as well as reflecting on his own Bianconeri highlights.

“Paul has grown so much in recent years to become one of the best in the world. He has everything, and it’s a pleasure to watch him play.

“My favourite game? The game I remember most fondly is the one against Fiorentina two years ago, with my goal. To this day I wonder how I managed to score!”

[Socrates 7962]

Chelsea want €25m Asamoah?

http://www.football-italia.net/84158/chelsea-want-%E2%82%AC25m-asamoah?

 
May 11, 2016

Reports say Antonio Conte is willing to spend €20-25m to bring Juventus’ Kwadwo Asamoah to Chelsea.

The Ghana international played under the current Italy CT while he was in charge of the Bianconeri and a reunion could take place, according to giornalaccio rosa dello Sport.

The 27-year-old has suffered from an injury-hit campaign, but Conte could be willing to spend big to bring him in once he takes the reins at Stamford Bridge after Euro 2016.

giornalaccio rosa believes that Blues owner Roman Abramovich is willing to put €20-25m on the table to secure the signature of Asamoah.

The midfielder has made 11 Serie A appearances for the Scudetto winners this season after suffering three separate injuries during the campaign.

[Socrates 7962]

Antonio Conte interested in bringing Juventus
midfielder Kwadwo Asamoah to Chelsea

http://www.blackwhitereadallover.com/2016/5/11/11655674/kwadwo-asamoah-juventus-chelsea-2016-serie-a-epl-summer-transfer-rumors

 
May 11, 2016

When healthy, Kwadwo Asamoah is a player that many clubs around Italy and Europe as a whole would like to have on their roster. At Juventus, because of the glutton of talent in the center of the park, Asamoah is more of a squad player compared to what he could be at other clubs. That means, if something interesting comes along in terms of an offer, that Asamoah's time in Turin could come to an end.

But does it mean he will actually leave?

Maybe, just maybe, if a report out of the giornalaccio rosa dello Sport on Wednesday is correct, there could be a bit of a Juventus reunion going on this summer. It won't be happening in Turin, however, rather on the blue side of London where a certain Antonio Conte is preparing to take over on the sidelines after his duties with the Italian national team are over and done with this summer.

The price of said rumored transfer from Juventus to Chelsea, you might be asking yourself? Reportedly €20 to 25 million.

Not bad, not bad at all.

For that amount of cash, it would be hard for Beppe Marotta and Fabio Paratici to say no. As useful as a piece to the puzzle as Asamoah can be when healthy, you may never see that potential price tag come along again simply because of his injury past. Even with Claudio Marchisio's injury and the depth chart in the midfield being shaken up just a little bit, that's an offer, as Don Corleone may say, is an offer that you can't refuse.

Who knows, maybe it's just a bunch of crap and we are just going to be sitting here with our fingers crossed all summer that it's actually the truth. But I don't doubt for a second that Conte is going to be interested in signing at least a few players that he knows well this summer to begin making Chelsea in his image. And what better players to go after than those who will likely be available if the price is right? Yep...

[Socrates 7962]

 

 

Asamoah plays down Juventus defeat

 

The Bianconeri were beaten on penalties by Melbourne Victory but the wideman

insists the result is not important at this stage of pre-season.

 

http://www.goal.com/en/news/24092/icc-2016/2016/07/23/25877822/-?

 
Jul 23, 2016

 

 

Juventus midfielder Kwadwo Asamoah insists his side had a "very good game", despite losing to Melbourne Victory in the International Champions Cup.

Victory fought back from a goal down at the MCG on Saturday night to draw 1-1 and force a penalty shootout, and it was the A-League club that triumphed thanks to two saves from goalkeeper Lawrence Thomas.

Juventus barely looked like they got out of second gear throughout the match, with a host of first-teamers unavailable.

But Asamoah, who played the first half in midfield alongside Hernanes and Mario Lemina, argued the match was a "good exercise" for the Bianconeri.

"The result is not so important for us," he told reporters. "The most important thing for us is that we had a very good game."

[Socrates 7962]

 

 

Kwadwo Asamoah Continues Impressive

Summer as Juventus Beat West Ham

 

 

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2656347-kwadwo-asamoah-

continues-impressive-summer-as-juventus-beat-west-ham?

 

 

Aug 7, 2016

 

Sunday afternoon saw Juventus once again involved in pre-season friendly action, eventually emerging as 3-2 winners against West Ham United. The Bianconeri were the visitors for the official inauguration of the Premier League club’s new London Stadium. Goals from Paulo Dybala, Mario Mandzukicand Simone Zaza sealed their victory.

After Enner Valencia hit the post to almost put the home side ahead, it would be Juve’s two forwards who began to control the game asMandzukic nodded down a ball for Dybala who neatly slid it into the net.

 

 

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The duo proved throughout last season that they work superbly well together, and just three minutes later they would link up again. This time it was Dybala taking the role of creator-in-chief, easily beating Winston Reid then playing Mandzukic through on goal, allowing the Croatian to double his side’s advantage.

Andy Carroll would net twice as Juve wasted chances from MedhiBenatia, Alex Sandro and Mandzukic again, with a flurry of substitutions resulting in a lack of cutting edge throughout the second half.

 

 

 

 

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Even the introduction of Gonzalo Higuain failed to spark a reaction from the Turin giants, but Hernanes would hit the crossbar with a well-struck free-kick before West Ham were finally beat as Simone Zazaraced onto Luca Marrone’s incisive pass.

While the result saw coach Massimiliano Allegri’s men record a third successive victory as they prepare for the forthcoming campaign, the match was undoubtedly overshadowed by Paul Pogba.

All summer the French midfielder has been dominating the headlines, talk of a return to Manchester United a constant topic of speculation. That finally came to an end as the game progressed with the OldTrafford club announcing the 23-year-old is set to complete that move in the very near future.

A brief statement on their official website revealed that Pogba would visit their training completed as he “has been granted permission to have a medical in order to finalise his transfer from Juventus to Manchester United”

While fans of the Old Lady will undoubtedly be sad to see such a fine player depart, there is little doubt that their club have still enjoyed a fine summer transfer campaign. The additions of Higuain, Benatia,Miralem Pjanic, Marko Pjaca and Dani Alves should soften the loss ofPogba, while Allegri may now have more tactical freedom to shape his side.

Pogba occupies a position on the left of a midfield three where his passing, shooting and running with the ball are all excellent weapons that clearly benefitted the Bianconeri over the last four years.

Without him however, Allegri no longer needs to worry about hindering Pogba’s impact, with his squad containing a plethora of other options that may well see Juventus improve and evolve during 2016/17.

At the London Stadium against West Ham and indeed throughout pre-season, one player who certainly looks ready to capitalise on Pogba’s exit is Kwadwo Asamoah. Injuries over the past two years have seen the Ghanaian become somewhat marginalised, but he seems back to his best so far this summer.

The presence of Patrice Evra and Alex Sandro means there has been little chance of Asamoah featuring in the left wing-back role that had once been solely his, but a return to midfield could now be on the cards.

 

 

 

 

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A series of knocks limited him to just six Serie A starts in 2015/16, featuring for just 567 minutes of league action and making just 13 appearances in all competitions. That was a figure affected in no small part by the decision to omit the 27-year-old from the UEFA Champions League squad last term.

Yet while he was forced to look on as the likes of Mario Lemina and Stefano Sturaro moved ahead of him in the pecking order, this summer saw him handed the captaincy as the Bianconeri began their programme of friendlies.

Donning the armband for the trip to Australia and Hong Kong, he only relinquished it when Gigi Buffon returned to the starting XI against West Ham. Even here however, Asamoah continued to look sharp, his powerful running and defensive awareness evidently on show until he was withdrawn in the second half.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t Football Italia), he had emerged as a potential target for former Juve boss Antonio Conte. The Italian newspaper reported that the new Chelsea coach was willing to spend €20-25 million on the ex-Udinese star.

 

 

GIUSEPPE CACACE/Getty Images

 

Yet he has repeatedly spoken of his desire to remain in Turin, telling Sky Italia (h/t Football Italia) back in May that “these four Scudetti I was involved in are the best things in my career and I’m very pleased to be a part of this group.”

He also appears to put great faith in Conte’s replacement, as he went on to say in that same interview that he was willing to play in any role under the current coach and stated his belief that more trophies will follow:

On a personal level I can say that I want to continue winning and I’m happy to do it with Coach Allegri. I am fine anywhere he wants me to play.

He is very good, is always close to the players both on the field and off. He helps those who play and those who are on the pitch less often. I am convinced that with him we can go a long way still.

That was a theme which Asamoah has also continued this summer, as he explained in an interview with JTV last month. “We’re gearing up forSerie A, which we want to win, but also for Europe, where we want to show our strength,” he told them per the club’s official website.

“I feel in excellent shape and hope I can enjoy a good season, which, by working hard, I’m sure I’ll manage,” Asamoah continued. “The team’s even stronger than it was last season. We’ve brought in players with quality and experience who will be able to make a strong contribution.”

He will look to prove that once again when the Bianconeri take onEspanyol in their next friendly, while the expected departure of PaulPogba will undoubtedly provide him with many more opportunities once Juve return to competitive action.

[Socrates 7962]

 

 

Asamoah: ‘Happy on wing or in middle’

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/89784/asamoah-‘happy-wing-or-middle’

 

 

Aug 15, 2016

 

Juventus' Kwadwo Asamoah is happy to play “as a midfielder or a wing-back” this season.

 

The Ghanaian has missed most of the past two seasons with knee problems, but appears to be ready to return for the upcoming campaign.

 

Under Antonio Conte, the 27-year-old mostly played at left wing-back, but in his time at Udinese he was a central midfielder.

 

"I'm ready to play both as a midfielder and a wing-back,” Asamoah shrugged, speaking to Sky.

 

“It all depends on what the Coach [Massimiliano Allegri] tells me to do. If he says ‘Asa, play as a midfielder’ then I’m ready to do that role, I can do that or play on the flank.

 

“I’m training well together with my teammates, we’re ready to get the season started. It’s been almost two years that I haven’t had pre-season with the team.

 

“This time I’ve been able to do everything and also play in all of the friendlies. I’m glad that I’ve managed to spend all the time with the squad.

 

“It’s not that I was scared to come back, it’s just that I was worried about not feeling the same as before, that I wouldn’t be able to train and play with the team.

 

“On the contrary though, at the moment those things haven’t happened.

 

“We all have the goal of winning everything. This year our goal is to win the Scudetto, and the Champions League is also a big objective for us. We need to be more focused and work even harder than last year.

 

“We always think about doing well against anyone, we always play to win it all.

 

“This year I have personal goals though, I want to play more than I did in the last two years. Then we’ll see at the end.”

[Socrates 7962]

 

 

Juventus confirm Asamoah & Rugani

ruled out for up to seven weeks

 

 

The Serie A champions have confirmed the pair will miss key clashes against AC Milan

and Napoli as well as Champions League ties against Dinamo Zagreb & Lyon.

 

 

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/3276/serie-a/2016/09/25/27870232/-?

 
 

Sep 25, 2016

 

Juventus duo Kwadwo Asamoah and Daniele Rugani will be out for between six and seven weeks due to knee injuries, the club have announced.

 

The pair both pulled up with problems during the 1-0 victory over Palermo on Saturday, which saw the champions maintain their one-point lead at the top of Serie A.

 

Juve have now confirmed that the duo will be sidelined for 45 days, with Asamoah requiring surgery to correct a meniscus rupture.

 

"The extent of the injuries sustained by Daniele Rugani and Kwadwo Asamoah were clarified following medical examinations today," a club statement read. 

 

"The tests revealed that Asamoah has ruptured the meniscus cartilage, while Rugani has strained the lateral collateral ligament, both in the right knee. 

 

"The former is expected to undergo surgery with both players anticipated to return within around 45 days."

 

The duo are set to miss key Serie A clashes with AC Milan and Napoli, as well as three Champions League group games - a visit to Dinamo Zagreb, and home and away meetings with Lyon.

 

The news is the latest setback for Asamoah, who has been blighted by injury problems over the past two seasons and made just six league starts in 2015-16.

 

Rugani has played twice this term, scoring in the 4-0 win over Cagliari on September 21.

[Socrates 7962]

 

 

Asamoah surgery successful

 

 

http://www.football-italia.net/92076/asamoah-surgery-successful

 

 

Sep 26, 2016

 

Kwadwo Asamoah’s surgery was successful, so the Juventus midfielder will miss the next 45 days.

 

The Ghanaian was injured in the win over Palermo on Saturday evening, and it was announced that he would require knee surgery.

 

“Kwadwo Asamoah today underwent successful meniscectomy surgery on his right knee,” the Bianconeri confirmed on their official website.

 

“The operation was conducted by Professor Cugat in Barcelona in the presence of Juventus club doctor Claudio Rigo.

 

“The midfielder will begin his rehabilitation programme immediately and the timeframe for his return to action remains the same as originally estimated, namely around 45 days.”