Fiorentina Targets Joao Mario as Juventus Look to Cut Losses
Fiorentina are closing in on a deal for Juventus full-back Joao Mario, sensing an opportunity as the defender’s Turin chapter fizzles out.
According to Sky Sport Italia’s Gianluca Di Marzio, negotiations are at an advanced stage for a loan with an option to buy, with the total package expected to land in the €8-9 million range. For a player once signed for €12m from FC Porto in the summer of 2025, it underlines just how sharply his stock has fallen.
From Porto promise to Juve afterthought
When Juventus brought Joao Mario over from Porto, the plan was clear: a modern, energetic full-back who could lock down a flank for years. It never materialised.
Across his time in Turin, the Portugal international managed just 13 appearances in all competitions, registering a single assist. He struggled to convince through a combination of form, adaptation, and the relentless competition for places at a club that demands immediate impact.
The pressure to find minutes pushed Juventus into action in January. Joao Mario was shipped to Bologna as part of an exchange deal that saw Emil Holm move the other way. For the defender, it was a chance to reboot his season and his reputation.
He responded with a more productive spell: 15 games for Bologna and two goals, a reminder of the attacking edge that first attracted scouts in Portugal. It was not enough, though, to trigger a permanent move from either side of that winter swap.
So he returned to Turin. And with it, the same conclusion: Joao Mario has no real future at Juventus.
A deal that suits everyone – except Porto
The numbers tell another story in the background. Porto inserted a 10 per cent sell-on clause on any profit from a future sale when they agreed to let him go in 2025. At the time, it looked like a smart piece of business.
Now, with Juventus preparing to accept a loss on the original €12m fee, that clause is effectively worthless. A cut of the profit means nothing when there is no profit at all.
For Juventus, an €8-9m option to buy at the end of the loan at least draws a line under a signing that never truly clicked. For Fiorentina, it represents a relatively low-risk move for a 26-year-old with Serie A experience and European minutes under his belt.
Fiorentina’s gamble
Fiorentina see a player who has already shown he can cope with the rhythm of Italian football. A full-back still young enough to grow, yet old enough to know the demands of top-level competition.
If Joao Mario finds consistency in Florence, a fee in the high single-digit millions starts to look like smart business. If he doesn’t, the loan structure gives the Viola an escape route.
For the player, it is something more stark: another chance, perhaps the last at this level, to prove he belongs at the sharp end of Serie A.
