Turin has become the next stop in Neto Murara’s long European journey, with the Brazilian goalkeeper arriving in the city on Sunday as Juventus move to cover an injury-hit position before the season closes.
A familiar return to Turin
The 37-year-old is expected to join Juventus on a deal running until the end of the campaign after leaving Botafogo. His proposed return would reunite him with a club he represented from 2015 to 2017, before his subsequent move to Valencia.
- Neto won two league titles during his first Juventus spell.
- He also lifted two Coppa Italia trophies and one Italian Super Cup.
- After Valencia, he spent three seasons at Barcelona, from 2019 to 2022.
- His career then took him to Bournemouth and Arsenal before he went back to Brazil with Botafogo.
Grabara injury prompts Juventus response
Juventus have turned to the experienced former Brazil international after Kamil Grabara, previously the team’s second-choice goalkeeper, suffered a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. The injury is expected to keep Grabara out for almost all of the remaining season.
Neto is due to undergo the customary medical checks before putting pen to paper in the coming hours. If the formalities are completed as anticipated, he could begin training under Luciano Spalletti during the coming week.
Competition behind Vicario
The veteran’s arrival would add another established option to the Juventus goalkeeping group, where Italy international Guglielmo Vicario is the current first choice.
Neto’s task will be to challenge Vicario while providing dependable cover during a demanding final stretch. For Juventus, it is a practical winter solution built around a goalkeeper who already knows the club, the city and the expectations that come with wearing the black and white shirt.
