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€286M wasted: 12 Juventus transfer flops since 2022

Published

8 months ago

October 23, 2025

It was the winter of 2022 when Juventus faced a major crisis. The entire board of directors resigned following the Prisma investigation. Exor, the club’s ownership group, decided to start a new chapter.

John Elkann explained the plan in his April 2024 letter to shareholders. First, to resolve issues with the Sports Justice system. Then, to build a sustainable cost structure aligned with new UEFA regulations.

Despite these goals, results remain only partly achieved. Three different sporting directors — Cherubini, Giuntoli, and Comolli — have led the project. However, UEFA has recently launched proceedings for possible Financial Fair Play violations.

Juventus has already announced another capital increase of up to 110 million euros, with 30 million already paid in.

The reason lies in a series of poor transfer decisions. These operations have cost the club dearly — including transfer fees and agent commissions.

12. Tiago Djalò (€5.1M)

To stay ahead of Inter, who had a deal with the Portuguese defender for the next summer, Juventus signed him from Lille in January 2024. Djalò had just recovered from knee surgery. He debuted in the final match of the 2023–24 season against Monza. After that, he failed to earn playing time at Juventus and was loaned to Porto. His spell in Portugal was also disappointing. Last summer, Beşiktaş signed him for €3.5 million.

11. Arkadiusz Milik (€6.3M)

After a successful loan, Juventus signed the Polish striker permanently from Marseille in summer 2023. He played a solid role as Vlahović’s backup the following season. However, recurring injuries soon halted his progress. Milik hasn’t appeared in an official match for Juventus since May 20, 2024. Despite this, his recently renewed contract runs until 2027.

Top 10 Juventus players who flopped

10. Timothy Weah (€11.3M)

The first and only signing under Giuntoli’s management in summer 2023, Weah joined Juventus from Lille. Over two seasons, the versatile American impressed with his adaptability but never truly shined. After falling out of favor under Tudor, he joined Marseille in summer 2025 on a loan with a conditional obligation to buy.

9. Jonathan David (€12.5M commissions)

The first signing under the new Comolli management, the Canadian striker joined Juventus on a free transfer from Lille, with only substantial agent fees involved. Initially the team’s main center-forward, he scored on his Serie A debut against Parma. However, a series of missed chances gradually pushed him down the pecking order.

8. João Mário (€12.6M)

Signed in summer 2025 from Porto, replacing Alberto Costa in the opposite move, the Portuguese winger has yet to impress Tudor. So far, he has seen limited starting opportunities.

7. Alberto Costa (€13.8M)

Signed unexpectedly from Vitória Guimarães in January 2025, the Portuguese winger struggled for almost three months. Tudor eventually made him a key player in the season’s final phase. However, in summer, he moved to Porto as part of the João Mário deal.

6. Edon Zhegrova (€15.5M)

A last-minute signing in summer 2025, Zhegrova was primarily a bargain from Lille, with one year left on his contract. Out since December 2024 due to pubalgia surgery, he is struggling to regain fitness and secure playing time.

Top 5 Juventus players who flopped

5. Lloyd Kelly (€21M)

Juventus signed the English center-back in January 2025 after Bremer’s serious injury. Initially met with skepticism, Kelly has steadily improved this season.

4. Nico González (€36.5M)

Signed from Fiorentina at the end of summer 2024, his first Juventus season was disrupted by injury and inconsistency. In the final hours of the 2025 transfer window, he moved to Atlético Madrid on loan with a conditional obligation to buy.

3. Loïs Openda (€45.6M)

After failing to secure Kolo Muani permanently from PSG, Juventus signed the Belgian from Leipzig in the final hours of summer 2025. So far, his impact in the black-and-white jersey has been very disappointing.

2. Douglas Luiz (€51.5M)

Juventus signed him from Aston Villa in summer 2024, with Barrenechea and Iling-Jr moving in the opposite direction. After a disappointing season plagued by muscle injuries, he joined Nottingham Forest on loan this summer, with a conditional obligation to buy.

1. Teun Koopmeiners (€54.7M)

Long pursued, he was signed in the final days of the summer 2024 transfer window. Still part of Juventus’ squad, he has struggled to replicate his Atalanta form.