Juventus’s midfield rebuild is not yet complete — and one of its most pressing needs is a classical playmaker, a pure regista capable of controlling tempo and dictating play from deep. Luciano Spalletti has been explicit about what he wants in that position, and the name at the very top of his list remains Stanislav Lobotka. However, with Napoli and Massimiliano Allegri determined to retain the Slovak under any circumstances, Juventus are being forced to look elsewhere — and two names have emerged as the most concrete alternatives.
The Internal Option: Douglas Luiz’s Redemption
The first possibility lies within the Continassa itself. Douglas Luiz, one of the most expensive and most disappointing acquisitions of the Comolli era, remains on the books at Juventus despite a dismal time that included a failed loan at Nottingham Forest and a similarly fruitless stint at Aston Villa. Two clubs, two failed attempts to revive a career that had stalled completely since his high-profile arrival from Villa Park.
Spalletti, however, is not a man who inherits other people’s verdicts. The manager intends to evaluate Douglas Luiz with fresh eyes during pre-season, giving the Brazilian a genuine opportunity to demonstrate whether the qualities that made him such a sought-after player in the Premier League can be recovered — and whether they can translate into the specific demands of his system. It is, at this stage, not a firm plan but an open mind. A genuine redemption arc is not impossible. But it would require a level of performance in pre-season that has so far eluded the midfielder entirely in Italy.
The World Cup Wildcard: Christ Inao Oulai
The second and considerably more surprising name to emerge is Christ Inao Oulai, the Ivory Coast midfielder currently one of the most talked-about players of the World Cup in the United States. The Trabzonspor player — largely unknown to the wider European market before the tournament began — has caught the attention of Juventus’s scouting team with a series of composed, technically impressive displays that have drawn comparisons to the classic regista profile Spalletti demands.
At 26, Inao Oulai represents the kind of opportunistic, World Cup-driven discovery that smart clubs use to their advantage — a player whose stock will inevitably rise over the coming weeks but who may still be acquirable at a reasonable price before the wider market fully wakes up to his qualities. Trabzonspor are not a club in a position to resist substantial offers from a Serie A giant, and the financial structure of a deal would likely be straightforward.
Kessié and Goretzka: The Broader Midfield Picture
The search for a regista sits within a wider midfield conversation at Juventus. Franck Kessié, available on a free transfer following his Al-Ahli departure, remains an option for a different midfield role — providing physicality and box-to-box energy rather than playmaking intelligence. Leon Goretzka, the experienced German international, has also been discussed in the context of adding technical quality and leadership to the engine room.
Whether Carnevali ultimately pursues Douglas Luiz’s revival, takes a World Cup gamble on Inao Oulai, or finds the funds to open a conversation with Napoli about Lobotka, one thing is clear: the midfield is the next major area of the rebuild. And in Spalletti’s system, getting it right is not optional.
