With Kolo Muani and Alajbegovic now in the process of being formally concluded, Giovanni Carnevali and Frederic Massara have moved with immediate clarity to the next set of priorities. As Tuttosport’s Stefano Lanzo reveals this morning, the remainder of the window has four distinct targets: a goalkeeper, a midfielder, a left-back, and a centre-back. The squad departs for Hong Kong on Sunday. The work must happen fast.
The Goalkeeper: Suzuki is First Choice — but the Search Has Widened
Carnevali was explicit last night at the La Stampa event in Courmayeur: “Now we are focused on Kolo Muani and Alajbegovic — after that we will think about the goalkeeper.” The time for thinking has now arrived. Zion Suzuki of Parma remains the first name on the list — a young, technically accomplished Japanese international who has already rejected Leeds United to keep his options open. But Juventus know the negotiations with Parma will not be simple, and Carnevali and Massara have cast a wider net as insurance.
New contacts have been made with the entourage of Anatoliy Trubin of Benfica. A sounding has also been conducted for Gregor Kobel, the Swiss international goalkeeper at Borussia Dortmund. Unai Simón, despite the enthusiasm of figures like Ravanelli for the Athletic Bilbao and World Cup winner, is considered a realistic impossibility — his club have absolutely no intention of selling the man who was voted best goalkeeper of the 2026 World Cup. Guglielmo Vicario from Tottenham remains the fallback option — straightforward, accessible, and available — should the preferred choices prove unattainable before the Asian tour.
Midfield: Kessié is the Immediate Objective — with Reijnders a Late-Window Dream
On the midfield front, the sequencing is clear. Kessié remains the immediate priority — a free agent whose personal desire to join Juventus and Massara’s deep personal relationship with him from their time at AC Milan make this the most straightforward available option. The wage discussion continues, but the direction of travel points towards a conclusion.
The most intriguing name to emerge in this morning’s report, however, is Tijjani Reijnders. The Dutch midfielder — who joined Manchester City from AC Milan in a significant deal earlier this summer — could potentially become available on loan at the end of the window if City, now managing a particularly congested midfield, decide a temporary departure serves both parties. Reijnders could operate either in the centre of midfield or, in the role Spalletti most covets, as a trequartista behind the striker. He joins Brahim Díaz — still a possible late-window loan from Real Madrid — on a list of creative options that will only become relevant in the final days of August.
Left-Back: Theo Hernández or a Young Italian Alternative
The left-back position has two very different possible answers. Theo Hernández — the most glamorous option, who has offered himself to both Juventus and Napoli — would only arrive as part of a broader operation involving Andrea Cambiaso’s departure. That chain of events has not yet been set in motion, but it remains possible.
As a younger, immediately accessible alternative, two Italian prospects have caught Juventus’s eye: Fortini of Fiorentina and Favasuli of Catanzaro. Both are in the orbit of the Italian national teams, both fit the profile of young, development-phase players that Carnevali has been consistently prioritising throughout this window, and both could be acquired at prices manageable within the club’s financial framework.
Centre-Back: Lucumí Waits, Tomori Remains a Possibility
The defensive picture is contingent on outgoings. Should Gatti depart — Napoli remain the most likely destination — or Rugani find a new club, the funds and squad space would be redirected towards Jhon Lucumí of Bologna, who has made his preference for Juventus clear and is prepared to wait as long as the pursuit remains credible. As a second option, Fikayo Tomori of AC Milan — a player Massara signed during his time at the San Siro — is described as a live, if less immediate, alternative.
The Bigger Picture: A Window That Still Has Much to Give
On the first day of August, as the squad assembles for its flight to Hong Kong, Juventus’s summer is genuinely not finished. The pieces that have arrived — Kolo Muani, Alajbegovic, Çelik, Ekhator, Boga, Muharemović’s windfall — represent a genuine and meaningful rebuild. The pieces still to come — goalkeeper, midfielder, left-back, possibly a centre-back — will determine whether the new Juventus is truly equipped to return to the Champions League next season. The window remains open. Carnevali and Massara remain at work.
