Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini is impressed with the close season signings at Juventus but says the champions must step up preparations for their Serie A opener against Fiorentina on Saturday evening.

Juve have sold Paul Pogba to Manchester United for a world record fee of £89 million pounds ($114.53m) while Real Madrid have brought back striker Alvaro Morata and winger Juan Cua-drado has returned to Chelsea after a loan move.

On the plus side, coach Massimiliano Allegri swooped for club record €90 million ($100.70m) signing Gonzalo Higuain and playmaker Miralem Pjanic from Napoli and Roma, respectively.

“We’ve raised the quality with Pjanic,” Chiellini said.

“He gives us a lot in open play and with set pieces, he scores and he contributes assists.

“We raised our level in attack with Higuain and the same thing happened in other areas as well.

There is so much quality here. We have greater intensity in training than in matches because we’re defending against Gonzalo and the others, rather than against teams that are tight at the back.”

However, Chiellini believes Juventus still have work to do before they are ready to take on Fiorentina.

“It’s a work in progress so we have to improve,” he said.

“We don’t have much time left and have to give a little extra every day. We must regain our confidence and return to the right level of focus quickly because we’re running out of time.”