Juventus To Sign Sissoko and Mellberg... Why?

Momo Sissoko of Liverpool and Olof 'The Hairy' Mellberg of Aston Villa have agreed or are certain to agree moves to Juventus by the end of the season, BBC reports here and here.

So before I go on, let me get this straight. An unused Liverpool substitute who hasn't had the best of performances this season, and a solid but unspectacular defender signing for an Italian giant, currently sitting 3rd in Serie A.

Does anyone else find this slightly odd?

No disrespect to either player. Mellberg's solid defending is one of the reasons that Villa are 5th, and Sissoko has on occasion put in a decent performance.

But one has to think that a club the size of Juventus, with Champions League and Serie A ambitions, would be looking at players of a higher stature. Then again, they did sign professional footballer impersonator Jean-Alain Boumsong, and he isn't exactly doing too bad.

Let's take a look a why Juve should sign each player, why they'd be mad to do so, and who the Bianconeri should be looking to buy instead.

Momo Sissoko

Sign the contract:
Last season, Sissoko played some superb games in the middle of the park for Liverpool. He has composure, accurate tidy passing and makes good choices when under pressure. The Malian has played numerous times in Europe alongside Steven Gerrard, earning a man of the match award against Barcelona en route to the Champions League final.

However, a certain Mascherano came along, usurping the role of holding midfielder, effectively putting an end to Sissoko's tenure on Merseyside. But at 23, he has time left in his career to develop and make an impact.

Tear up the contract:
If Juve want to be challenging for any sort of silverware, they need to be signing world-class, proven midfielders. Not a flash-in-the-pan like Sissoko. He has been disappointing this season to say the least, and has failed to rise to the challenge of fighting for his place.

Anyone remember Liam Miller? A young midfielder at Celtic who was dictating games, doing the dirty work and making his side tick. Plonk him in a bigger team (i.e. Man Utd), and soon Mr. Neat and Tidy was being shipped off to Sunderland. I can't help but feel Sissoko will follow a similar path.

Why not try these?:
Gilberto Silva (Arsenal) - He's still first choice for Brazil, and would probably jump at the chance for regular 1st team action.
Xavi (Barcelona) - Hefty price tag, but Xavi is a class act. One of the most underrated footballers in Europe.
Claude Makalele (Chelsea) - He's getting on a bit, but has the qualities of Sissoko and then some. Chelsea now have Essien holding so it wouldn't take much persuasion (rubles) to free him.
Torsten Frings (Werder Bremen) - Another excellent player who is often overlooked. Has played solidly for Bremen the past season, will Juve take another shot at signing him?

Olof Mellberg

Sign the contract:
The Swede has been at Aston Villa for as long as I can remember. A solid, resolute and no-nonsense defender, his consistency over the years for club and country speaks volumes for his professionalism. And for a grand price of £0.00, it's not a bad deal economically on Juventus's part.

Mellberg has also been known to bring comedy to the football field, most notably this own goal (although it probably wasn't his fault).

Tear up the contract:
Juve have the 3rd best defence in the league, do they really need an ageing defender who's never found a club better than Villa for 7 years?

His style of play will probably not mix well with Serie A. In England, the rule generally speaking is, 'if you get the ball, it doesn't matter how much of the man you get'. In Italy, any sort of physical challenge, legal or not, is likely to end in a free-kick for the opposing team. Unfortunately for Mellberg, getting physical is the basis for his game.

Why not try these?:
Samuel Kuffour (Livorno) - despite being around for ages, Kuffour has a few years left in him yet, and has experience of Italian football with Roma and Livorno.
Luisao (Benfica) - Strong, hungry and unbeatable in the air, £9 million is definitely worth it (compare it to 2 Marlon Kings... or 1/2 a Darren Bent).
Rafael Marquez (Barcelona) - A proven, continental defender who can command games from the back. With Milito and Puyol able to form a decent partnership, Barcelona could be willing to let him leave, but will the Italians turn recent speculation into a solid offer?

What do you think? Is The Old Lady making a couple of shrewd signings? Or will they fail to adapt, warm the bench, and then eventually get shipped out to a Championship side? Leave your comments below.

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