Juventus appoint Marco Ottolini as new sporting director from Genoa
Juventus have appointed Marco Ottolini as their new sporting director, bringing him back from Genoa to lead the club's transfer strategy. The move, confirmed by the clubs, sees the 44-year-old executive return to Turin where he previously worked within the youth recruitment structure, now tasked with overseeing the first-team market operations.
Ottolini's appointment marks a significant shift in Juventus's sporting direction, with the executive granted full mandate to shape the squad for the upcoming season. He had been serving as Genoa's head of transfers since 2022, having originally joined the Ligurian club after a four-year developmental period at Juventus working under figures like Federico Cherubini on the Next Gen project. His return to the Allianz Stadium is seen as a strategic move to leverage his recent experience and scouting network.
At Genoa, Ottolini built a reputation for identifying young talent with resale value, a model Juventus are now keen to adopt more formally. Among his most notable signings for the Grifone were Radu Dragusin and Koni De Winter, both Juventus academy graduates who were later sold for significant profits to Tottenham Hotspur and AC Milan respectively. He also orchestrated the arrival of Italy striker Mateo Retegui from Tigre and brought in promising wing-back Brooke Norton-Cuffy from Arsenal.
His work in Genoa demonstrated a blend of domestic knowledge and an ability to operate in foreign markets, attributes that reportedly appealed to Juventus's hierarchy as they seek to rebuild sustainably. According to reports from La Gazzetta dello Sport, Ottolini's familiarity with the Juventus ecosystem was a key factor, allowing for a seamless integration as the club plans a crucial summer window.
For Juventus, the appointment signals a clear intention to refine their recruitment model after several seasons of mixed results in the transfer market. The club is expected to pursue a strategy focused on younger, functional players who align with both technical needs and financial parameters, while also supplementing the squad with experienced quality. Ottolini’s immediate challenge will be to construct a squad capable of returning Juventus to the summit of Serie A and competing more effectively in Europe.
The move also continues a notable pipeline between Genoa and Juventus, with several players and staff having moved between the clubs in recent years. Ottolini’s departure leaves Genoa seeking a new head of transfers, while his arrival in Turin concludes a search for a definitive sporting director following a period of restructuring within the club's management.
