Juventus are replenishing their squad, with Igor Tudor calling the shots over which players are surplus to his requirements.
Juve general manager Comolli, a former scout for Arsenal, was appointed in early June and thrown into the cauldron. The club’s reshuffle, after sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli was given the boot, saw Chiellini promoted to head of football institutional relations.
The pair are busy dealing with transfers, both in and out, as the Bianconeri prepare to tackle a 2025/26 season that includes the highly lucrative Champions League.
After two hefty wins to kick off their FIFA Club World Cup campaign, they suffered a hammering by a makeshift Manchester City side before being outsmarted by Real Madrid.
Real squeezed past Juventus 1-0, but that was only down to the heroics of shotstopper Michele Di Gregorio and 10 fabulous saves. His performance was admired by Manchester City, who could try to lure him to the Premier League if keeper Ederson moves to the cash-rich Saudi Pro League.
Salary hike to tempt Yildiz
It’s not just Di Gregorio’s future that Comolli and Chellini need to sort out. Kenan Yildiz has reportedly offered himself to Barcelona, through his super agent Jorge Mendes, despite the club’s hands off policy last April.
The Bianconeri is aiming to offer the Turkish talent a five-year contract extension, to ward off interest from Premier League clubs, with an annual salary increase from €1.5 million (US$1.7m) to €3.5m (US$4.1m).
Attackers Samuel Mbangula, Arkadiusz Milik, Dusan Vlahovic and Timothy Weah are clearly not part of the Piedmont club’s plans under Tudor’s tenure.
Mbangula has attracted Bologna, Greek giants Olympiacos and a clutch of Premier League clubs. While Milik is expected to be loaned out, either to Serie A sides or to a Turkish Super Lig team. Weah is being monitored by Olympique Marseille and plenty of English top tier teams.
Luiz or Vlahovic for swap deal
Vlahovic is playing hard ball, by turning down concrete offers. He could be part of a cash swap deal involving Manchester United’s Jadon Sancho, although Juve flop Douglas Luiz is being touted instead of Vlahovic to go to Old Trafford.
The chances of Luiz and Vlahovic both moving to United appear slim, as Juve’s top targets at last season’s Premier League strugglers look behind Turin. Antony wishes to extend his loan spell at Real Betis, while Alejandro Garnacho is attracting attention from Serie A champions Napoli.
United have experienced a plethora of overseas players failing to cut the mustard, so Luiz looks preferable to Vlahovic having impressed at Aston Villa.
Yet central midfielder Luiz is also firmly on the radar of newly-promoted Premier League club Leeds United. Luiz is joined on the transfer list by uunwanted veterans Filip Kostic and Mattia Perin.
Wing-back Kostic has attracted interest from AS Roma, Atalanta and Bologna as well as a handful of clubs outside Italy. With shotstopper Perin being lined up for a switch to Bologna.
Dealing with defensive contracts
There’s also the matter of contract negotiations with a quartet of defenders for Comolli and Chiellini to deal with. Andrea Cambiaso, Federico Gatti, Daniele Rugani and Nicolo Savona could all extend their deals.
Agents for left-back Cambiaso, center-back Federico Gatti and right-back Savona are expected to meet with Comolli next week to discuss a five-year contract extension with increased wages.
Center-back Rugani was solid against Real, and recently returned to the Turin titans following a difficult season with Ajax where he made 26 appearances last term. It is unclear whether Tudor wants he at Juve next term.
Juventus are interested in buying recent loanee Francisco Conceicao, but FC Porto also have interest in their right winger from Premier League sides as well as AC Milan and AS Roma.
Paris Saint-Germain rejected the Bianconeri’s proposal of a new loan for striker Kolo Muani, as they want to sell him. There’s plenty of attention from Premier League clubs, with Chelsea looking his most likely destination.
Comolli said at the post-match conference following the Real reversal: “We must get over the disappointment and focus on next season.
"What we want to do in this transfer window is obviously try to improve the squad, but we’re starting with a strong group.”
Osimhen's not Juve-bound
Victor Osimhen, who already turned down the advances of Juventus, is constantly appearing in the Italian media as a potential target for the Bianconeri.
The Napoli outcast, who was a lethal marksman during last season’s loan stint with Turkish giants Galatasaray, has rejected the Saudi Pro League as he prefers the challenge of the Premier League.
Chiellini insisted in a recent press conference that the Nigeria international will not be joining Juventus.
Former Juve defender Chiellini revealed: “Victor Osimhen transfer? We’ve nothing to do with Osimhen. You’'ve to fill the pages and report the news.
“We read a lot of things that make us laugh. You keep talking, we keep working.”
Comolli added: “Our obsession on a daily basis is to get better. To improve the team, improve the players who are here when we start pre-season and to improve with more quality players.”
Goal hungry striker unveiled
Juventus have confirmed their first marquee signing of the summer, with former Lille striker Jonathan David joining on a five-year deal.
The 25-year-old Canada forward, born in New York and raised in Ottawa, boasts a prolific international scoring record with 36 goals.
David first made his name in Europe with Gent, finding the back of the net 37 times in two seasons. After scooping the Belgian top-flight’s Golden Boot he was snapped up by Lille in 2020.
He won the Ligue 1 crown in his first season in the French top tier, and went on to hit 109 goals in 232 matches before becoming a free agent at the end of June.
David is a clinical and mobile attacker, capable of leading the line and playing off a strike partner. If Yildiz sticks around the pair could become a cornerstone of Juve’s attack over the next five seasons.
His arrival signals the start of the journey, but Comolli and Chiellini have their work cut out over the next three weeks to get Tudor’s troops firing on all cylinders.