Juventus are treating the next stage of their youth project as part of the club’s wider future, with Destiny Elimoghale already identified as one of the standout prospects to protect at Vinovo. The 2009-born attacking wide player has moved into the Next Gen environment and has also received calls from Luciano Spalletti, placing him close to the first-team picture at an early point in his development.
Key takeaways
- Elimoghale is under contract with Juventus until 2028 after signing his deal last season.
- The club could consider improving his terms in the coming months to deter interest from elsewhere.
- Juventus have introduced an Under-18 side to create a smoother route from Under-17 football to Primavera level.
- Davide Marchisio, son of former Juventus midfielder Claudio, has received his first contract.
- The new leadership sees the academy as both a sporting resource and a potential source of future transfer income.
Elimoghale at the centre of Juventus planning
Juventus do not want another academy player to become a preventable loss, and Elimoghale is among those receiving particular attention. His progression from youth football towards the second team has underlined the club’s belief in his potential, while his involvement around Spalletti’s senior squad has offered another indication of the regard in which he is held.
Although his existing agreement runs through to 2028, Juventus are monitoring the winger’s development closely. A revised contract could be discussed in the months ahead, with the intention of giving the player further security and keeping potential rivals at a distance.
The approach reflects a broader direction shared by the club’s new decision-makers. Juventus intend to draw more heavily on the work done within their youth sector at Vinovo, viewing the internal pathway as a first source of talent for the senior structure and, where appropriate, a route to future market value.
A new step between Under-17 and Primavera
The creation of an Under-18 category is central to that plan. Players graduating from the national Under-17 championship will now have an additional stage before moving fully into Primavera football.
Previously, many of those players found their first months at Primavera level difficult, not least because they were facing opponents with greater physical maturity and technical experience. The Under-18 team is intended to prevent promising youngsters from losing competitive minutes during that transition, allowing them to continue playing regularly while adapting to the demands of the next level.
Juventus believe the stronger connection between the youth teams, Next Gen and the first team can become a durable model. The club see parallels with the structure built by Giovanni Carnevali at Sassuolo, where player development helped establish sporting and financial stability.
Early assessments of this season, together with the work of recent years, have already produced one concrete decision. Davide Marchisio has been offered his first Juventus contract, and further evaluations are under way for other members of the academy system.
