It’s now official: Marco Ottolini has been named the new Sporting Director of Juventus. The announcement, widely anticipated in recent days, completes the club’s revamped management structure following the arrivals of Chief Executive Officer Damien Comolli and Technical Director François Modesto.
Juventus’ search for the right candidate was lengthy and meticulous. The club ultimately chose Ottolini, who left Genoa in October and resolved his contract in recent days to take up his new post in Turin.
From 1 January 2026, Ottolini officially joins Juventus and will report directly to CEO Damien Comolli.
In the club’s official statement, Juventus welcomed Ottolini’s appointment, highlighting his broad experience across various roles in football. Born in 1980, Ottolini ended his playing career in 2002 before embarking on a path in football management, gaining valuable insight into the inner workings of the professional game. His first major international stint came in 2015, when he joined Belgian side Anderlecht to help structure and develop their scouting operations.
Ottolini’s first spell at Juventus began in 2018, when he joined the club’s international scouting department. Over the next four years, he oversaw the monitoring of loaned players and managed relationships with partner clubs abroad, playing a key role in nurturing talent and contributing to the early stages of the club’s “Second Team” project. He left Juventus in 2022 to take on new challenges at Genoa.
Now, Ottolini returns to Turin in a pivotal role. His appointment as Sporting Director marks both a homecoming and a natural progression in a career built on expertise, strategic thinking, and an in-depth understanding of Italian and international football.
The club emphasised that the decision to appoint Ottolini was the result of an extensive search — and one strongly endorsed by Giorgio Chiellini. Ottolini’s previous familiarity with the Juventus environment and alignment with the club’s renewed vision made him the ideal candidate.
Rather than an aggressive market operator, Ottolini is seen as a modern sporting director: a strategist who values long-term growth over short-term gambles, with a focus on data, development, and sustainable team-building. His methodology fits perfectly with Juventus’ new philosophy — building value without compromising the future.
At Continassa, Ottolini finds an environment in tune with his footballing values and professional approach. For Juventus, this marks the beginning of a new era built on careful planning, talent recognition, and a renewed sense of direction under their reshaped leadership team.
