The successful coach feels signing a top striker is not the way to close the gap with Europe’s elite and is looking to emulate Bayern Munich instead

Antonio Conte believes signing a high-profile attacker such as Gonzalo Higuain, Zlatan Ibrahimovic or Luis Suarez will not be enough for Juventus to challenge for the Champions League title.

The Serie A champions were eliminated by Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals of European club football’s elite competition this season and some have blamed the lack of a top striker for their exit.

Conte, however, feels Juve should look at other options to close the gap with the continent’s best sides and feels the Turin giants should be looking to follow Bayern’s model.

“I can only laugh when I hear people say that Juventus can win the Champions League with two or three good signings. The reality is different. There’s a big gap with the top,” Conte was quoted as saying by La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“Ibrahimovic, Suarez or Higuain? You cannot say no to players like that for the fans, so if it was up to me, I would take all three of them. Even that would not be enough to win the Champions League, though.

“We have to follow the model of Bayern Munich. These are the kind of things I discuss with the president and [general director] Giuseppe Marotta. We have to improve in all areas.

“I heard [Arjen] Robben say the other day that Bayern’s win was a team effort. He understands how it works. He’s a natural talent, just like [Franck] Ribery. Yet they both do their utmost for the team. A good organisation brings out the best of individual players.

“Either way, we have to show respect to the club and the players we have right now.”

Juventus were crowned Italian champions at the weekend for the second consecutive season following their 1-0 win over Palermo.