I just don't get the suggestion Juve are buying him without the intention of him becoming a first-team player.
Of course, the odds are won't happen and he'll be traded away, but to suggest him becoming a pawn is the Plan A is clearly wide of the mark.
We are investing heavily in the youth sector. A marked change has appeared over the last few seasons since Paratici and Marotta have placed the foundations of their system more securely in place, not just the system but the scouting network attached.
Cevallos doesn't seem like a mere punt, neither did Buoy, and neither will Matthaus be if we manage to get his signature. Bonatini also was another educated decision. Buoy was an easier spot and pushed towards us by Raiola, who also paved the way for Pogba to arrive.
Canizares, Laursen, Boakye, Gabbiadini, Leali, Appelt...These players and those mentioned before are not at all Estigaribbia type deals. And neither do I see the Cevallos transfer in that way.
They all have potential. Especially Leali. But I wouldn;t be surprised to see Buoy or Appelt find their way into the Juve squad in future years. Both have brilliant composure on the ball for kids their age, technique that is far from common.
Its way too early to assume Beppe and Paratici's system is geared towards unearthing minor capital for future deals. It looks to me, that our scouting network has improved drsatsically, our negogiation skills are fine and we are aiming to unearth gems, not create a conveyor belt of average senior players.
You must bear in mind that it costs us money to develop players, to help them move countries and cultures, to settle in, learn a new language etctetcttc. If we wanted average players we could find them in Italy, instead of sending our scouts to watch them for 6 months in Ecuador. There is also the issue of space and opportunity. We have good coaches, great facilities, and a certain capacity which balances individual improvement and development against team training. We aim to create future first team squad members from our youth setup, so the spots in the primavera and younger squads are golden.
As mentioned though. its too early for anyone to conclude that our youth setup, that changed drastically over the last couple of seasons, is aimed at creating average senior players to be used in deals elsewhere. Its too early to see any proof of that, and the current scouts/transfer department cannot be blamed for what came before them. Only expected to make something of anything good which remains from the work of their predecessors.