Juventus are revisiting a midfield need that never truly left the club’s plans. With Manuel Locatelli facing a long absence and the squad feeling the effects of further injuries, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg has emerged again as a possible answer for January.
The decision
Luciano Spalletti had sought an experienced holding midfielder throughout July and August: a player capable of bringing order to the centre of the pitch and guiding a side through difficult afternoons. Leon Goretzka, who joined Aston Villa, and Franck Kessie, who eventually chose Atalanta, both slipped away.
The profile has remained on Juventus’ agenda. Hojbjerg, now 31, is Denmark’s captain and a leading figure at Marseille, and the club have begun laying the groundwork for a possible winter approach. Juventus representatives have followed the Danish national side during the international break, with Giovanni Carnevali, Ricky Massara and Marco Ottolini receiving updates from those trips.
There was a concern in Wales when Hojbjerg asked to come off after only ten minutes because of a muscular problem. Early indications suggest a precautionary withdrawal or a short-term issue, although Juventus will continue to monitor his condition before any January move can develop.
Initial exploratory conversations have already taken place and further contact is expected. Much can shift before the winter window, but Juventus are positioning themselves early for a player they have admired for some time.
Marseille’s financial situation may make a deal possible. The French club have needed sales and were prepared to consider Hojbjerg’s departure in recent months. His contract runs until 2028, while the player is understood to be open only to a compelling project at a major club after spells under Pep Guardiola at Bayern Munich, Antonio Conte at Tottenham and Roberto De Zerbi in Marseille.
Marseille are second from bottom in Ligue 1, but their financial requirements currently carry considerable weight. Carnevali knows the French club well from his Sassuolo period, having brought in Ismael Kone during the summer and later Ulisses Garcia and young prospect Darryl Bakola. Hojbjerg could become another Marseille departure he helps arrange, this time for Juventus.
The need has become more pressing in Turin. Pape Matar Sarr, 24, arrived on loan from Tottenham to cover for Thuram after Kessie was missed, but Juventus have also lost Kenan Yildiz to injury. Locatelli, meanwhile, has undergone surgery on his lateral meniscus and is not expected back before February or March.
John Elkann’s latest capital increase has given the club support as it works through its financial planning, but any January arrival must fit within Juventus’ squad limits and UEFA settlement agreement restrictions. The practical formula is expected to be one departure for one signing.
Teun Koopmeiners is the most likely player to leave if space is required. He scored from a free-kick for the Netherlands in the Nations League, yet his future could be central to Juventus’ ability to bring Hojbjerg in.
Sunday’s picture
Locatelli’s absence was immediately felt in Juventus’ dramatic defeat at Sassuolo in Reggio Emilia, their first match without the midfielder. Bremer wore the captain’s armband, but the performance reinforced why the search for another authoritative presence in midfield has continued.
Juventus had hoped to add an extra captain-like figure in the summer. Instead, they have temporarily lost their own captain. January may now offer the chance to address that imbalance, with Hojbjerg once more at the top of the list.
