Gazzetta: Grabara Out 6-7 Months — Juventus Assess Free Agents with Neto and Rico Putting Their Hands Up

La Gazzetta dello Sport Confirms the Timeline and Maps the Options: Two Former European Goalkeepers Have Already Made Contact, While Young Radu Represents the Internal Alternative
by September 20, 2026
Neto

Kamil Grabara will be absent for six to seven months. La Gazzetta dello Sport confirms both the timeline and the immediate market response: Neto — who previously spent two seasons at Juventus between 2015 and 2017, making 22 appearances — and Sergio Rico — formerly of Sevilla, PSG, and Al-Gharafa — have both put themselves forward in the hours since the cruciate rupture was confirmed.


The Two Names Who Have Come Forward

Neto is 37 years old and was released by Botafogo at the end of his contract. Also mentioned are Amir Begovic, Gabriel Vasconcelos — the former Milan and Napoli goalkeeper, now 33 — Swiss international Benjamin Siegrist, seen at Genoa, and Spanish keeper Vicente Guaita, formerly of Parma.

For reasons related to UEFA squad list eligibility, the most appealing names from a registration standpoint would be Alessio Cragno — who has recovered from an Achilles tendon injury and is seeking a club — and Alfred Gomis, 33, who became a free agent following the end of his Palermo contract.

The curious footnote to the Neto possibility: Jasper Cillessen — also 37 and a free agent — played his last professional football for NEC Nijmegen, the very club Grabara assisted against in his Juventus debut.


The Internal Option — Radu from the Next Gen

The internal alternative already under consideration is Riccardo Radu, the Next Gen’s first-choice goalkeeper, who could be promoted to the senior squad as Vicario’s backup — also for reasons relating to squad list composition, given his homegrown status.


The Timeline for a Decision

In the coming days the Juventus management will resolve the final decision. Whether they choose to sign one of the free agents immediately or promote Radu from the Next Gen, the primary objective remains restoring maximum stability to the goalkeeping department. The international break provides the breathing space for that decision to be made carefully rather than in haste.

Alex Hubner

Alex Hubner

Alex Hubner covers Juventus transfers and squad news for JuveNewsLive. He has followed Serie A closely for 25 years and has written match reports and transfer analysis for the site since 2020. Alex is based in Turin, Italy.

Areas of focus: transfer market reporting, squad rotation analysis, pre-season coverage.

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