Napoli’s defense is absolutely hammered right now, and it looks like the club might be looking to a very familiar, and maybe surprising, face to patch things up. With injuries piling up on the backline, there are whispers that Juan Jesus, who just turned 35, could be making a comeback to fill the gaps after his contract ran out. Talk about a blast from the past, right?
Defense in Distress: The Injury Report
The problems started even before the season really got going. Alessandro Buongiorno found out at the start of pre-season training that he’s looking at surgery to reconstruct a meniscus ligament in his knee. That’s a huge blow, putting him out for a solid two to three months. As if that wasn’t enough, Sam Beukema isn’t even fully fit yet, having missed the end of last season. New coach Max Allegri is already facing a headache with seriously limited options at the back. It’s tough seeing your squad hit with these kinds of issues so early.
Juan Jesus: The Old-School Solution?
So, who’s the proposed solution? Juan Jesus. According to Il Mattino newspaper and Tuttomercatoweb, Napoli thinks a familiar face might be the answer. He just became a free agent on June 30 when his contract expired. The Brazilian celebrated his 35th birthday just last month, and he’s not short on options either, reportedly considering proposals from Venezia in Serie A, Deportivo La Coruna in Spain, and even Atletico Mineiro back in Brazil. Juan Jesus has been a fixture in Italian football since 2012, playing for Inter and Roma before first joining Napoli as a free agent in the summer of 2021. He knows the league, he knows the club. Could he really be the answer at 35?
The Catch: Squad Limits Are a Buzzkill
Here’s the kicker though, because nothing is ever easy, is it? Even if Napoli wants Juan Jesus back, they’ve got a squad limit problem. They’re going to need to free up a slot first by selling one of their over-22 players. That’s a significant hurdle. So, while the idea of bringing back a seasoned veteran like Juan Jesus makes some sense given the injury crisis, new coach Allegri and the front office have some serious wheeling and dealing to do before this can even become a reality. It’s going to be interesting to see who moves out to make space, and if Juan Jesus will actually be suiting up in blue again.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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