Ever since Thiago Motta was given the boot in March, Juve's defense has been wobbly. They have been fortunate to have only been rarely punished for this vulnerability, and twice against Real Madrid it has been the exceptional shotstopping from Michele Di Gregorio who has spared their blushes.
Recently installed Bianconeri head coach Luciano Spalletti managed to keep a clean sheet in the dreary scoreless Derby della Mole at home to Torino before the international break. One of his priorities has been to single out young players who should be able to immediately contribute if they join the Turin titans in January.
Chelsea's center-back Axel Disasi has been on Juve's radar for a considerable time, but with so many players from overseas ending up as flops the club are looking at Serie A stars with the 27-year-old as as a back-up plan.
Juve will battle Inter Milan
Lecce's Tiago Gabriel and Sassuolo's Tarik Muharemovic are the ideal fit but Inter Milan are also keen on the pair, with former Juventus target Sacha Boey a Plan B alongside Disasi.
Since Boey's transfer from Turkish giants Galatasaray to Bayern for €30 million (US$34.9m) at the start of last year, the French full-back has suffered from a spate of injuries yet has remained a regular squad member.
Juventus showed serious interest in luring him to Turin in the summer and, with Boey highly likely to transfer-listed early next year, the club are currently monitoring his availability although he would be an expensive acquistion. A clutch of Premier League teams, including Arsenal, were previously linked with the dreadlocked 25-year-old.
Juventus scouts checked out Lecce ace
The Bianconeri sent a scout to rue an eye over Portuguese centre-back Gabriel at last month's Fiorentina-Lecce match, whose is valued at around €25m (US$29m). Lecce only paid €1.25m (US$1.5m) from CF Estrela Amadora in Portugal in January.
Gabriel, who has only made 15 appearances for Lecce, is also on the radar of a spate of top-flight English clubs with the Portugal U21 newcomer showing incredible potential.
Muharemovic, a Bosnia and Herzegovina international, only joined Sassuolo in July from the Juventus Next Gen for €3m (US$3.5m) following a successful loan. He has been formidable in Serie A, with a plethora of teams including Juve showing interest in securing his signature during the next transfer window.
The Bianconeri have a 50% future resale clause, with Sassuolo's valuation currently double the price they paid Juventus although Inter are eager to snap up the 22-year-old center-back.