Juventus Eye Mateo Retegui as Late Transfer Option
Juventus are pushing the clock and the market, and Mateo Retegui is back on their board.
According to Italian outlet Tuttosport, the Italy international has emerged as a late option as Luciano Spalletti hunts one more centre-forward before the window slams shut. The Bianconeri have already reshaped their attack with Randal Kolo Muani and Jeff Ekhator arriving, but the departures have bitten hard: Dusan Vlahovic has gone for nothing and Lois Openda has been sent out on loan.
There is a clear condition before anything else happens. Juventus need to move Jonathan David on before they can authorise another attacking signing. Only then can they fully explore a shortlist that, alongside Retegui, also features Joshua Zirkzee and Alexander Sorloth.
Retegui is no stranger in Turin. Juventus tracked him in previous windows and his name has never fully disappeared from their internal discussions. Spalletti knows exactly what he would be getting. He worked closely with the striker during his spell in charge of the Azzurri and is an admirer of his relentless running and sharp, instinctive movement inside the penalty area.
The idea has strong support behind the scenes as well. Sporting director Marco Ottolini is a key backer of the move. He was the one who first brought Retegui to Serie A from Argentina when he was at Genoa in 2023, and he has not forgotten the impact that signing made.
The preferred formula is already sketched out. Tuttosport reports that Juventus would look to structure any deal as an initial loan, provided the 27-year-old shows a real desire to return to Italian football. Winning over the player is not viewed as a major hurdle.
The real problem is his salary. Retegui earns an eye-watering €20m per year at Al-Qadsiah, a figure that sits miles outside Juventus’ current wage structure and represents the biggest obstacle to any agreement.
His position in Saudi Arabia is strong. Under contract until 2028 after a €65m transfer from Atalanta, he has already started the new campaign, playing 73 minutes in Al-Qadsiah’s 3-1 victory at Al-Shabab on the opening weekend of the Saudi Pro League.
Time, though, is not on Juventus’ side. They still need to find a buyer for David and wrap up their attacking rebuild before the deadline hits. Spalletti wants another proven focal point to anchor the front line, maintain depth and spark real competition for places in a schedule that will be packed from week to week.
For now, a move for Retegui sits in the “difficult” column. Unless Al-Qadsiah agree to cover a significant slice of those huge wages, Juventus’ late push for their old target may stay exactly that: an idea rather than a signature.
