Juventus are beginning to look beyond the immediate strain in midfield, with Sassuolo’s Darryl Bakola emerging as a possible bridge between Luciano Spalletti’s current needs and the club’s plans for 2027.
The subject was in the background at Bologna’s Dall’Ara, where Italy beat Turkey in a match led by Roberto Mancini and Vincenzo Montella. Juventus chief executive Giovanni Carnevali and Sassuolo sporting director Francesco Palmieri met again in the stands, alongside Giorgio Chiellini and Marco Ottolini.
It was their first encounter since Juventus’ dramatic defeat at the Mapei Stadium on 13 September. Further discussions are expected in the coming weeks, with Bakola now a central name in Juventus thinking.
Quick facts
- Darryl Bakola joined Sassuolo from Marseille in January 2026 for €12 million.
- The France Under-21 midfielder turns 19 at the end of November.
- He has made six appearances and supplied two assists across Serie A and the Coppa Italia.
- Juventus could test Sassuolo’s position in January, while also considering a move in June or a route towards summer 2027.
- A possible deal is being assessed at around €30 million, potentially involving a player exchange.
Bakola has made a swift impression in Emilia, including from the bench against Juventus. His blend of athleticism, acceleration and technical quality has convinced Carnevali that the midfielder has the physical level for the Premier League and the potential to reach the France senior side under Zinedine Zidane.
That prospect also explains Juventus’ urgency. English clubs have repeatedly drawn young Serie A talent away before Italian sides could act, with Riccardo Calafiori joining Arsenal and Marco Palestra moving to Chelsea among the recent examples. Juventus do not want Bakola’s price and competition to rise beyond their reach.
The relationship between the two clubs may give them a route into negotiations. Juventus and Sassuolo shared in Tarik Muharemovic’s €38 million sale to Leeds during the summer, while Vasilije Adzic has flourished on loan with Alberto Aquilani’s side.
The 20-year-old Montenegro attacking midfielder has recorded four goals and one assist in six appearances in league and cup competition. Sassuolo hold an option to buy, but Juventus retain a counter-option, leaving the Turin club with control over his longer-term future.
A difficult January conversation
Juventus have been hit by serious knee injuries to Khephren Thuram and Manuel Locatelli, increasing the pressure to reinforce Spalletti’s midfield. A move for Franck Kessie did not materialise in August, and the club want more running power as well as experience in that department.
Bakola would represent the younger half of that plan. Juventus are also considering Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Marseille’s 31-year-old captain and Denmark captain, who previously played with Bakola at the Velodrome.
The intended sequence is clear: a younger midfielder in January if possible, followed by an experienced figure in the summer. Yet Sassuolo are currently unwilling to lose Bakola in the middle of the campaign, and Carnevali knows the club’s internal logic well from his time there.
Juventus are nevertheless expected to make an approach. If Sassuolo refuse to open the door this winter, the Bianconeri will seek to establish priority for a later deal, potentially aimed at the summer of 2027.
The next three months will determine whether the Bakola-Hojbjerg idea becomes more than a midfield outline. For Juventus, it is also a test of whether a familiar relationship with Sassuolo can prevent another emerging Serie A player from becoming unavailable before the club are ready to move.
