Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri said Cristiano Ronaldo's departure from the club late in the transfer window left it with no time to replace him.
Juve agreed a deal with Manchester United for the 36-year-old Portugal forward to return to the Old Trafford club on August 27, four days before the window closed.
Moise Kean, 21, was brought in on loan from Everton to add to Allegri's forward options, but the Juve coach ideally would have liked more time to find other reinforcements.
"Just a few days from the end of the transfer window, we had no chance to replace him (Ronaldo)," Allegri told DAZN on Friday ahead of his side's trip to Hellas Verona on Saturday.
"The club was good at bringing in Kean, who has already scored two important goals, so I'm happy.
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"If Ronaldo had left a month earlier maybe the club would have had the chance to work in a completely different market. For that alone, it is not that Ronaldo is at fault, it is a question of the market."
Juve has endured a difficult start to the Serie A season. It is in seventh place in the standings, 13 points adrift of leader Napoli who is level on 28 points with second-placed AC Milan after 10 games. Inter Milan is third with 21 points.
All is not lost yet, however, according to Allegri.
"At this moment we cannot think of targets," he added. "Let's think about Verona and then the Champions League. One step at a time and let's see what to do," he said, with Group H leaders Juve hosting Zenit St Petersburg on Tuesday.
"I think Inter remain the favourites for the (Serie A) title, but Milan and Napoli are doing well and have what it takes to win the championship. Then you never know. In football you can also have four negative games in a row."
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