Who will replace Locatelli ?

It is only September, but Juventus are already dealing with a serious injury crisis.

The midfield has been hit particularly hard — a remarkable development considering that just a few weeks ago, the Bianconeri appeared to have almost too many options in that area. Luciano Spalletti had as many as eight midfielders competing for just two or three positions.

However, injuries to Khephren Thuram and Manuel Locatelli have completely changed the situation, leaving Juventus with a major problem to solve in the coming months.

According to Goal Italia, Spalletti could now be forced to experiment with alternative solutions, either by adapting players to unfamiliar roles or turning to Juventus Next Gen for reinforcements.

From midfield abundance to an injury emergency

Juventus actually spent much of the summer reducing the number of midfield options rather than adding to them. Sporting figures Giovanni Carnevali focused heavily on departures, despite the lack of creativity and quality in midfield having been one of the club’s recurring problems in recent years.

Vasilije Adzic was sent on loan to Sassuolo, where he has made an excellent start, registering a goal and an assist in his first three league appearances. Fabio Miretti, meanwhile, moved to Turkey, joining Vincenzo Italiano and Dusan Vlahovic at Besiktas.

Arthur’s long and disappointing spell in Turin also finally came to an end. The Brazilian terminated his contract by mutual consent before returning to his homeland and signing for Santos.

That initially left Juventus with Manuel Locatelli, Douglas Luiz, Teun Koopmeiners, Thuram and Weston McKennie, while new signing Pape Matar Sarr was also added.

The Senegalese midfielder, however, has generally been viewed by Spalletti as a player capable of operating further forward rather than as a traditional central midfielder.

Juventus subsequently tried to bring Franck Kessie to Turin. The Ivorian waited throughout the summer for the Bianconeri to make their final offer, but no agreement was reached.

Cristiano Giuntoli then moved quickly, completing a surprise operation to bring Kessie back to Atalanta in the space of just one night.

Carnevali and Massara were therefore forced to find an alternative, eventually turning to Tottenham’s Sarr.

The Senegal international arrived at Continassa short of fitness after suffering a previous muscular problem. Spalletti confirmed following Juventus-Milan that he was not yet ready to play.

Spalletti’s options are rapidly disappearing

Nobody could have predicted the injury crisis that would subsequently devastate a midfield which, on paper, still contained six players.

Thuram was the first to suffer a significant setback. The Frenchman had been struggling with a knee problem for months and initially tried to avoid surgery, but an operation eventually became necessary to resolve the issue. Spalletti is not expected to have him back until January.

Then came McKennie. The American midfielder featured against Frosinone but missed the matches against Parma and Milan due to muscular fatigue. While the problem is not considered particularly serious, Juventus will have to manage his recovery carefully to avoid a recurrence.

Sarr also requires close monitoring, given his recent history of muscular issues. His workload during training will therefore need to be carefully controlled.

And now Juventus have suffered another major blow involving their captain, Locatelli.

Following the match against Milan, the midfielder reported discomfort in his knee. What initially appeared to be a minor issue has since raised concerns that he could require surgery, potentially resulting in a lengthy absence of between one and three months.

For Spalletti, the timing could hardly be worse. A midfield that once looked overloaded with options is suddenly facing a genuine emergency, with Juventus potentially needing to rely on tactical improvisation and Next Gen players to get through the difficult months ahead.

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