Juventus are considering the re-appointment of Matteo Tognozzi as a sporting director, with both manager Luciano Spalletti and club executive Giovanni Chiellini reportedly in agreement over his suitability. Tognozzi, currently the sporting director at Rio Ave, previously held a role at Juventus between 2017 and 2023, working under both Fabio Paratici and Federico Cherubini.
His initial spell with the Turin club focused on identifying young talents aged 17-21 to bolster the Next Gen project. Tognozzi collaborated with Cristiano Ottolini and Claudio Chiellini, demonstrating a keen eye for emerging players. During his time, he was instrumental in bringing players such as Kenan Yildiz, Dean Huijsen, Facundo Soulé, and Kenan Muharemovic to the club, with Mazur also highlighted as a future prospect identified by Tognozzi.
Spalletti, who previously worked with Tognozzi during his time at Zenit Saint Petersburg, values his expertise and understanding of the Asian and South American markets. The Juventus manager believes Tognozzi’s familiarity with the club’s structure and operations would be a significant asset, preventing wasted time and resources in navigating the transfer market. While Spalletti’s input is influential, the final decision rests with the club’s leadership.
Chiellini also advocated for Tognozzi’s return during previous discussions regarding the sporting director position, before the appointment of Cristiano Ottolini. Tognozzi subsequently joined Rio Ave, part of the portfolio owned by Evangelos Marinakis, who also controls Olympiakos and Nottingham Forest. However, the recent arrival of Giovanni Carnevali as the new Juventus CEO has reopened the possibility of Tognozzi returning to the club, a prospect he is understood to be receptive to. The club is aiming to quickly return to a winning formula, and a swift, informed approach to player recruitment is considered vital.
This potential move represents a shift in strategy, prioritizing experience and existing club knowledge as Juventus look to rebuild their squad and challenge for Serie A titles once more.
