News

Juventus has 2 names on table as Thuram replacment

Published

2 months ago

June 17, 2026

It promises to be a busy and challenging summer for Juventus executives, who must balance the books without weakening the squad—while still finding ways to strengthen it ahead of the new season.

At Continassa, only a handful of players are considered untouchable. Surprisingly, Khephren Thuram is not among them despite being a regular starter in midfield over the past two seasons.

The French midfielder remains highly regarded on the market and could become one of the key sacrifices needed to help Juventus improve their financial situation following the club’s failure to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

However, selling Thuram would leave a significant gap in midfield, forcing the Bianconeri to enter the market for a suitable replacement.

Why Juventus Are Open to Selling Thuram

Although Thuram has featured regularly since arriving in Turin, his performances have often fallen short of expectations.

After a promising debut campaign, the club expected the former Nice midfielder to make a significant leap forward. That progression never fully materialised, partly due to recurring fitness issues.

During the final stretch of last season, head coach Luciano Spalletti was forced to bench Thuram on several occasions, opting instead to deploy Teun Koopmeiners in his role.

Across his first two seasons with Juventus, Thuram made 96 appearances, scoring nine goals—four of them in the recently concluded campaign—while providing 13 assists.

There is also a strong financial argument behind a potential sale.

Juventus signed Thuram from Nice in the summer of 2024 for €20 million under former sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli. His current market value is estimated at around €40 million, double the original investment, while his residual book value stands at approximately €12 million.

As a result, any sale would generate a substantial capital gain—one of the primary objectives set by new CEO Giovanni Carnevali during this transfer window.

For now, Juventus reportedly consider only Kenan Yildiz, Pierre Kalulu, Weston McKennie and captain Manuel Locatelli untouchable. Every other player could be available for the right offer.

Thuram has attracted interest from Turkey, with both Galatasaray and Fenerbahce making enquiries. However, the midfielder is understood to prefer staying in Turin and would only consider leaving for a club competing in one of Europe’s top leagues.

According to Matteo Moretto, Premier League sides Sunderland and Nottingham Forest could emerge as serious contenders thanks to their financial strength and the appeal of English football.

Juventus Already Identifying Potential Replacements

Should Thuram depart, Juventus would need to replace not only a regular starter but potentially another midfielder as well reports Goal Italia.

Teun Koopmeiners is expected to leave Turin this summer after falling out of Spalletti’s plans, leaving the club in need of reinforcements in the middle of the park.

One player highly appreciated by the Juventus manager is Davide Frattesi. The Italian international is reportedly seeking a move away from Inter after struggling for playing time under Cristian Chivu.

Juventus could potentially use Andrea Cambiaso as part of negotiations, with Inter believed to be interested in the versatile full-back. However, Nottingham Forest are also monitoring Frattesi’s situation.

Another name strongly linked with the Bianconeri in recent days is Cher Ndour. The 2004-born midfielder, recently called up to the Italian national team by head coach Silvio Baldini, is currently under contract with Fiorentina.

Securing his signature would not be straightforward, but Spalletti is said to be a major admirer of the youngster, who would also fit Carnevali’s broader strategy of increasing the Italian core within the Juventus squad.