Juventus’s winter pivot: En-Nesyri steps into the spotlight as a practical fix
21 January 2026
Juventus shuffles its winter targets
Juventus is putting the final touches on its long-awaited deal. Needing to reinforce the attack after a serious injury sidelined Dusan Vlahovic for months, and with his contract expiring at season’s end, Juventus keeps scanning for a new striker in the ongoing winter window.
The French forward Jean-Philippe Mateta, Crystal Palace’s star, was Juve’s first-choice target, having submitted an official transfer request and expressed a strong desire to join the Italian giant, with nearly settled personal terms.
But Crystal Palace’s demands—around 35-40 million euros for a permanent move or solid loan guarantees—blocked the deal despite ongoing talks and improved offers from Juventus.
Facing this snag, Juventus’ focus shifted firmly toward Moroccan striker Youssef En-Nesyri (28) of Fenerbahçe, who has emerged as the closest candidate to move to the Allianz Stadium.
Reliable Italian sources, including Fabrizio Romano and La Gazzetta dello Sport, plus Turkish outlets, say Juventus held intensive meetings with the player's agent — who had just returned from Morocco after Africa Cup of Nations loss — and another meeting was planned for today to finalize the details.
Turkish journalist Serkan Hamzaoglu also wrote that a personal agreement between En-Nesyri and Juventus had been reached.
The agreement reportedly covers a loan until the end of the season with an obligation to buy, making the deal financially more attractive to Juve than Crystal Palace's demands.
As the January deadline nears, En-Nesyri’s strong form since moving to Turkey could be the practical, swift fix the Juve hierarchy seeks to cover Vlahovic’s absence and revive the frontline.
As the winter window closes, Napoli had shown interest but would need to sell Lorenzo Lucca first, which puts Juventus in a better position to close the deal quickly.
Caption: Juve’s hunt for a quick fix heats up as the transfer deadline approaches.
Sniper punchline: If transfers came with a grace period, this one would still be late—but somehow still finish with a goal in the last minute.
Sniper punchline 2: In football as in comedy, timing is everything—and Juventus is hoping this punchline lands before the clock runs out.
