Ajax have signed former Italy international Daniele Rugani on a season-long loan from Juventus.

The 30-year-old defender won seven caps for Italy between 2016 and 2018 but has fallen down the pecking order at Juventus and was not a regular starter.

He made just 17 appearances in Serie A last season, helping to keep four clean sheets. He won 39 of his 81 duels and won possession 44 times. 

"His arrival means a boost in experience for our relatively young defence," technical director Alex Kroes said. "This way the team will be better balanced."

Rugani is the second new recruit for Ajax following Bertrand Traore's move from Villarreal.

Ajax endured one of their worst seasons last time out, sitting bottom of the standings before rallying to finish fifth, though they conceded 61 goals in the Eredivisie. 

Their new head coach Francesco Farioli saw his side lose at promoted NAC Breda on Sunday after edging past Panathinaikos of Greece on penalties in the Europa League third qualifying round.

Juventus stayed on course for a record-extending 15th Coppa Italia title with a thumping 6-1 win against Serie A strugglers Salernitana in Turin.

The Allianz Stadium fell into stunned silence in the opening minute when Chukwubuikem Ikwuemesi gave the visitors a shock lead.

But Juve hit back through Fabio Miretti and Andrea Cambiaso before the break and ran riot in the second half.

Daniele Rugani, Dylan Bronn’s own goal, Kenan Yildiz and Timothy Weah all added to the scoring and Massimiliano Allegri’s side will now face Frosinone in the quarter-finals.

Salernitana head coach and former Juve striker Filippo Inzaghi’s side made a dream start against his former club as Ikwuemesi struck the opening goal in the first minute.

The Nigerian striker pounced on an error in the penalty area by defender Federico Gatti and buried a low finish into the bottom corner.

Juve goalkeeper Mattia Perin then denied Salernitana a second as he made a flying save to keep out Junior Sambia’s shot from outside the box, which was destined for the top corner.

But the Bianconeri, showing seven changes from last week’s home Serie A win against Roma, rode the early storm and hauled themselves level in the 12th minute.

Cambiaso’s headed pass inside the area picked out Miretti, who converted with a low, left-footed effort.

Juve were awarded a penalty in the 18th minute by referee Davide Ghersini, only for VAR to rule Sambia had fouled Gatti outside the box and a free-kick was awarded instead.

Federico Chiesa and Rugani were both thwarted by Salernitana goalkeeper Vincenzo Fiorillo as Juve built up a head of steam and after going close again through Chiesa and Adrien Rabiot’s header, the home side took the lead.

Danilo reacted quickest on the edge of the six-yard box following a 35th-minute corner and teed up Cambiaso, who slotted home from close range.

Juve looked to extend their lead before the break, with Arkadiusz Milik’s thunderbolt and Miretti both forcing Fiorillo into further saves.

Salernitana’s task looked beyond them in the 54th minute when Rugani turned home a rebound after Milik’s header from a corner had been saved.

Juve made it 4-1 with 15 minutes remaining when substitute Kenan Yildiz’s shot was deflected in off Tunisia defender Bronn.

Yildiz added Juve’s fifth in the 88th minute with a superb solo effort and Weah lashed home a low shot from outside the box to complete the scoring in the first minute of added time.

Massimiliano Allegri is determined to lead Juventus to another Coppa Italia success.

Juve, the competition’s most successful side with 14 titles, are favourites to lift the trophy after holders Inter Milan and Serie A champions Napoli were both knocked out.

Standing in Juve’s way of a quarter-final tie against Frosinone is Serie A’s bottom club Salernitana, who travel to Turin on Thursday.

And Allegri, who has been in charge for four of the club’s cup successes, is aware of the opportunity that awaits a team who have not lifted any silverware since 2021.

He said: “The Coppa Italia means a lot to us, as it always has.

“That applies even more so this season as we’re only competing in this competition and in the league, so we must do everything possible to get to face Frosinone in the quarter-finals.

“Anything can happen in a knockout tie, as we saw with Napoli and Inter getting knocked out. The early stages of the Coppa Italia may not interest everyone, but there’s a trophy at stake.

“Losing or drawing a game at this club can almost be a catastrophe, which is exactly why we have to give our all to progress. That’s what’s great about being at Juve.”

Thursday’s opponents Salernitana have won just two of their 18 league matches this season.

The teams will meet twice in the space of four days, as they face off again in the league on Sunday, but Allegri has all eyes on the cup fixture.

He added: “Tomorrow we’re facing a team on the up. Salernitana beat Verona away from home (on Saturday) and are well drilled, so we mustn’t underestimate them.

“We’ll face them once again on Sunday, but right now we’re focused on the cup. When the tie is over, we’ll turn our attention towards the league.

“It’s always tough to win matches. The further ahead you go, the smaller the margin for error, so we need to be good in that regard.”

Allegri confirmed trio Mattia Perin, Daniele Rugani and Federico Chiesa will all start for the cup clash but is undecided about the rest of his selection.

He said: “I still need to assess the rest. (Kenan) Yildiz won’t play tomorrow. When a young player is doing well, they get highly praised straight away. He needs to stay calm and keep working hard.

“I’ll certainly send the best possible team out there tomorrow. The stadium will be packed out, so even more reason for us to want to win.”

Paulo Dybala will miss the first leg of Juventus' Champions League last-16 clash with Villarreal due to injury.

The Argentina international was forced off in the second half during a 1-1 derby draw with Torino in Serie A on Friday.

Bianconeri head coach Massimiliano Allegri appeared unworried by the injury to one of his key forwards after the game, but Juve confirmed on Sunday that the former Palermo man is expected to be out for 10 days due to muscle problems in his left thigh.

The 28-year-old, who is Juve's leading scorer across all competitions with 12 goals this season, will therefore be absent from the clashes with Villarreal on Tuesday and the Serie A meeting with Empoli on Saturday.

Allegri's side brought in Dusan Vlahovic in January but the absence of Dybala will be a big miss, the striker topping Juve's charts for minutes per goal (154.7), while he has added a team-high six assists.

Juve will also be without Daniele Rugani after he suffered a hamstring problem against Torino.

The centre-back is expected to be out of action for a similar period of time to Dybala, with the pair eyeing a return against Fiorentina on March 2 in the first leg of the Coppa Italia semi-final.

Juventus defender Daniele Rugani has joined Cagliari on loan for the remainder of the 2020-21 season. 

Rugani spent the first half of the campaign on loan at Ligue 1 outfit Rennes but he made just two appearances.

The 26-year-old has appeared 101 times across all competitions for the Bianconeri, winning the Italian title five times and the Coppa Italia on three occasions.

He has made seven appearances for Italy, the last of which came in a friendly against Netherlands in June 2018.