Spalletti at the Helm? Juventus Nears Officially Signing Him to Replace Tudor

Spalletti Close to Juventus Reign

Veteran Italian coach Luciano Spalletti has agreed to Juventus' terms and is poised to take charge from Igor Tudor after days of intense negotiations, culminating in a final agreement ahead of a formal signature.

According to Football Italia, the key clause is a contract running through June, with an automatic renewal for an additional year if Juventus qualify for the Champions League, a condition the club has insisted on from the outset.

Spalletti was Juventus' first-choice to assume the role, with the club steering away from Tudor despite the season’s early milestones, citing disappointing results and unsettled performances as the turning point for the decision.

Mancini was outside consideration from the start, while Rafa Palladino remained as a backup option only in case talks with Spalletti stalled. The former Italy boss had not been expected to steer the project unless there was a dramatic strategic shift.

Spalletti’s coaching pedigree reads like a tour through Italian football and beyond: Napoli, Inter, Roma, Zenit Saint Petersburg, Udinese and Empoli have all benefited from his leadership and tactical experience.

The Tudor Chapter and the Final Hurdles

Yesterday, a decisive meeting between Juventus executives and Spalletti helped lay the groundwork for the agreement. The discussions focused on a June-to-June contract with a Champions League extension option, a framework seen as crucial to the club’s long-term planning.

With this obstacle cleared, Spalletti emerges as the sole front-runner to take the reins, leading the managerial race and moving inexorably toward an official signing as Tudor’s tenure looks set to end.

Tudor’s journey with Juventus began in March, and the club had signaled a renewal through 2027, acknowledging his role in steering the squad and securing a top-four finish, even as those ambitions proved increasingly difficult to attain.

The Croatian coach, who had played for Juventus between 1998 and 2007, enjoyed a storied playing spell with two league titles and a 2003 Champions League final appearance, though his managerial record with the club in the current cycle has been far more mixed.

As for the current season, Juventus sit eighth in Serie A, nine points behind leaders Napoli, and have faced only two points from their first three group-stage matches in the Champions League, underscoring the pressure for a change behind the bench.

Voices from the Past: Buffon and Del Piero

Juventus legend Gianluigi Buffon has praised Spalletti, saying, “For me, Lucho is the right figure for any big club that aspires to stay ambitious.” He recalled their working relationship and confirmed Spalletti’s capacity to lead with experience, charisma and leadership.

Alessandro Del Piero, speaking on Sky Italia, argued that Tudor should not shoulder the blame for Juventus’ struggles. He asserted that the issues go deeper than a single coach and called for a broader cultural rebuild, while noting that a more stable lineup might have yielded better results.

Del Piero emphasized that the project needs a clear starting XI and a coherent identity, warning that simply changing coaches won’t magically resolve systemic challenges if the squad lacks cohesion and structure.

These perspectives underline a broader sentiment inside Juventus: the club’s need for a lasting tactical vision and a steady spine that can translate talent into consistent performances, regardless of the person in charge.

In the end, the situation remains fluid, with the coming days expected to finalize Spalletti’s appointment and set the stage for a potentially defining period in Juventus’ post-Calciopoli era, where stability and a clarified project are prized above all else.

Punchline 1: When in doubt, tell the calendar to calm down—it always has a plan, even if the squad forgets to read the instruction manual.

Punchline 2: In Turin, even a coaching change comes with a five-year plan—just long enough to forget what the last one was supposed to fix.