Tarik Muharemovic’s path away from Juventus has become one of those stories that sit beneath the surface of a season: a young player overlooked in Turin, refined elsewhere, and now established at Leeds in the Premier League.
The Bosnia and Herzegovina defender has admitted that his three years at Juventus remain difficult to put behind him. Although he had the chance to return to the club during the summer, the memory of a first spell without a senior debut ultimately weighed heavily on his decision.
Quick facts
- Muharemovic spent three years at Juventus without playing for the first team.
- He was called up by Massimiliano Allegri for the 6-1 Coppa Italia win over Salernitana in 2023-24.
- After impressing for Juventus Next Gen in Serie C, he joined Thiago Motta’s senior pre-season group in 2024.
- He moved to Sassuolo, initially on loan, before the deal became permanent after one season.
- Sassuolo later sold him for a club-record fee, while Juventus made a €17.4 million capital gain through a 50 per cent sell-on clause.
- He is now at Leeds on a reported annual salary of €4 million.
Muharemovic linked his Juventus exit to that of Dean Huijsen, saying the pair had clearer ideas about their futures and understood the reasons for moving on. “I am genuinely happy at Leeds, in the Premier League, and not somewhere else,” he said. “My attention is here. I only want to move past those early years.”
The frustration was shaped by two moments in particular. In 2023-24, Allegri selected him for the Coppa Italia last-16 match against Salernitana, yet he remained unused as Juventus won 6-1.
That campaign brought first-team opportunities for several younger players. Kenan Yildiz and Huijsen made their breakthroughs, while Joseph Nonge, Leonardo Cerri and Nikola Sekulov also received senior debuts. Muharemovic did not.
His second disappointment came the following summer. Having been a major figure for Next Gen in Serie C, the centre-back travelled with Motta’s first-team squad to the training camp in Herzogenaurach.
He did not play in the friendly against Nuremberg and was subsequently returned to work with the youth side. The move to Sassuolo followed, first as a loan arrangement and then as a permanent transfer after a year.
That decision changed the direction of his career. Muharemovic emerged in Serie A with Sassuolo before earning his move to England, turning a player once waiting for a Juventus opening into one now playing in the Premier League.
The deal benefited every club involved. Sassuolo secured the largest sale in their history, while Juventus collected the value of their retained resale share and recorded a €17.4 million profit. For the player, Leeds has provided both a new contract and the stage he felt was missing in Turin.
Yet the financial success does not erase the sense of unfinished business. Muharemovic has moved on professionally, but Juventus remains the chapter he is still trying to close.
