Juventus are actively pursuing Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, while current shot-stopper Michele Di Gregorio is expected to leave the club, according to reports from Italy. Di Gregorio will return to Juventus for pre-season training on Monday, but the arrival of potential replacements suggests his position is no longer secure.
Di Gregorio experienced criticism during the previous season and has been further unsettled by the club’s pursuit of other goalkeepers, including Martinez, Alisson Becker of Liverpool, and several other options such as Roma’s Rui Patricio, Parma’s Simone Suzuki, Atletico Madrid’s Jan Oblak, and Napoli’s Vanja Milinkovic-Savic. Juventus’s sporting director Giovanni Carnevali publicly stated the club’s priorities are a goalkeeper and a forward, signaling a clear intention to upgrade the position.
The situation has been further complicated by a social media outburst from Di Gregorio’s agent, criticizing the club’s spending on attackers. Di Gregorio reportedly apologized to teammates Jonathan David, Edon Zhegrova, and Lois Openda via WhatsApp for his agent’s comments, but the incident has added to the sense of unease. Juventus manager Luciano Spalletti and the club’s leadership are scheduled to meet with Di Gregorio on Monday to discuss his future, with the expectation that he will seek a transfer.
Juventus have reportedly offered Aston Villa €6 million for Martinez, but the Premier League club is holding firm, valuing the 2022 World Cup winner at €12 million. Martinez, who has a preliminary agreement with Juventus for a contract worth €5 million per year until 2029, is expected to push for a move to Turin upon his return from international duty with Argentina.
As an alternative to Martinez, Juventus are also considering Guglielmo Vicario from Tottenham Hotspur, as well as Ederson of Fenerbahce, Kepa Arrizabalaga of Arsenal, and Milinkovic-Savic. The club is keen to resolve the goalkeeping situation quickly, but is prepared to explore multiple options to secure a suitable replacement.
