At the start of the 1996–97 season, Davids moved to Italy to play for Milan. After an unsuccessful spell where he failed to establish himself in the first team, he moved on to league rivals Juventus in December 1997 for a £5.3 million transfer fee. He soon became a permanent first team member in the midfield, usually playing on the left flank or in the centre, as a defensive midfielder, forming a notable midfield partnership alongside French playmaker Zinedine Zidane. Six successful years in Turin followed, with Davids helping the side to the Serie A title in 1998, 2002 and 2003, as well as two Supercoppa Italiana and the UEFA Intertoto Cup. Juventus manager Marcello Lippi once described him as "my one-man engine room".