Spalletti growing frustrated at Juventus transfer delays, expects five new signings
Quick summary
New Juventus coach Luciano Spalletti is reportedly frustrated with the club's slow transfer activity and expects five new arrivals to strengthen the squad.
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Attributed to original sourceThursday’s reports claim that Luciano Spalletti is growing frustrated at Juventus’s lack of activity in the transfer window and that he is still expecting five more new signings including two new additions at centre-forward.
Spalletti growing impatient with lack of arrivals and departures at Juventus The Old Lady have brought in two new signings so far this window: Former Roma full-back Zeki Celik on a free transfer and teenage centre-forward Jeff Ekhator from Genoa , who has since picked up an injury and is expected to be sidelined for around three weeks.
Zeki Celik joins Juventus (Source: Juventus) However, after a sixth-place finish in Serie A at the end of the 2025-26 season, Spalletti had hoped that this would be the opportunity to start afresh with a squad rebuild, which is yet to truly take off.
As per La Gazzetta dello Sport , Spalletti is still expecting at least five more new signings ahead of the 2026-27 campaign, including two options at centre-forward following the departure of Dusan Vlahovic at the end of his contract on June 30.
The club, after weeks of negotiations, have not yet secured a deal with Paris Saint-Germain for Randal Kolo Muani, but are still hoping to get the signing over the line according to the latest updates. Juventus are now reportedly willing to increase their offer above the €40m for the Frenchman.
La Gazzetta dello Sport claims that Juventus are also exploring a possible loan deal for Manchester United’s Joshua Zirkzee and a permanent deal for Parma’s Mateo Pellegrino. Tottenham’s Richarlison has also been mentioned as an outside possibility.
Spalletti is also desperate for a new goalkeeper to replace Michele Di Gregorio, but Juventus have thus far been unable to finalise transfers for either Emiliano Martinez from Aston Villa or for Alisson Becker from Liverpool. Parma’s Zion Suzuki and Tottenham’s Guglielmo Vicario are among the alternatives.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – JULY 07: Emiliano Martinez #23 of Argentina during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 match between Argentina and Egypt at Atlanta Stadium on July 07, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images) La Gazzetta dello Sport notes that Spalletti would ideally like one more addition in midfield and another on the left side of defence. It is also increasingly likely that Douglas Luiz is reintegrated into the squad for the season, La Gazzetta dello Sport suggests.
As things stand, exactly one month away from the start of Juve’s Serie A season, Spalletti feels that he only has three or four ‘starters’ available in training. Those would be Manuel Locatelli, Andrea Cambiaso and Pierre Kalulu, potentially Zeki Celik or Lloyd Kelly as well.
Kenan Yildiz and Khephren Thuram are still training individually after their fitness issues at the end of the 2025-26 campaign, while Gleison Bremer, Weston McKennie, and Francisco Conceicao are still on holiday after their involvement at the 2026 World Cup.
This leaves a training group that features a large selection of players that are not part of Spalletti’s plans heading into the 2026-27 season, including the likes of Di Gregorio, Joao Mario, Edon Zhegrova, Lois Openda and Arkadiusz Milik.
VERONA, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 20: Lois Openda of Juventus FC in action during the Serie A match between Hellas Verona FC and Juventus FC at Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi on September 20, 2025 in Verona, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Scaccianoce/Getty Images) La Gazzetta dello Sport claims that Spalletti has told some of his players in recent days that: ‘I will still be here, but a lot of you won’t’.
Thursday’s report claims that the club still has full faith in CEO Giovanni Carnevali, who is beginning to act with more urgency, but that Spalletti is beginning to grow frustrated with the lack of action in terms of both player arrivals and departures.
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What happened
Luciano Spalletti, recently appointed as Juventus head coach, is said to be increasingly impatient with the club's slow progress in the summer/winter transfer window. Sources indicate the Italian manager is pushing for at least five new signings to reshape the squad in his image. The delays risk undermining his preseason/preparatory plans and could create tension between the coach and the club's sporting directors. Juventus, undergoing a rebuild after a disappointing campaign, are under pressure to deliver reinforcements quickly.
Chance analysis
Spalletti's frustration highlights a structural tension at Juventus between the coach's tactical vision and the club's financial/strategic constraints. With five signings demanded, the sporting directors must prioritize positions likely including midfield creativity, defensive depth, and attacking options. The delay could impact Juventus's early-season form and Spalletti's ability to implement his preferred system. From a prediction standpoint, Juventus's squad uncertainty makes their short-term results harder to forecast until the transfer window resolves.
Juventus's slow transfer activity may delay Spalletti's tactical implementation and weaken early-season competitiveness.
Factor Juventus's incomplete squad and potential new signings into early-season predictions; the team may underperform until reinforcements arrive.