Arrived for 11.4 million, the Portuguese is already out of the project. At Continassa they are waiting for the right proposal to let him go, in the meantime…
Journalist
December 29, 2025 (changed at 12.45pm) – MILANO
Not all donuts come with a hole. In the case of Joao Mario at Juve, the donut remained in the oven and even risks burning. The Portuguese winger landed in Turin last summer with very different expectations, as part of the exchange with Alberto Costa who had intrigued and turned Tudor’s nose up. The coach would have retained the former Vitoria Guimaraes player after the good signs of growth obtained at the club’s World Cup, but the club had already promised him to Porto to keep Conceiçao in Turin. While the 2000 player arriving under Mole, already a starter in the Portuguese national team, could have immediately made his experience available.
false start
—
The evidence collected by Tudor in the field did not change his view. So much so that the coach developed the idea of focusing on Kalulu at full range, to avoid depending on the Portuguese. Joao Mario on one occasion (against Genoa) was even proposed on the left, where he played one of the worst matches in black and white. With the change of coach, nothing new for him: Spalletti reduced his employment to a minimum and never gave the impression of wanting to focus on it. Joao Mario has put in 361 minutes so far, less than expected: demonstrating the difficulties encountered so far. The prospect does not offer different perceptions: in view of January, he can say goodbye just five months after his arrival.
market
—
Juve last summer took Joao Mario for 11.4 million, in parallel with Alberto Costa’s move to Porto for 15 million plus a bonus. After having made a capital gain in that operation, the Continassa men now have to sell it while avoiding a loss. In reality, the player has a market, especially in Portugal: but for now no offers have arrived capable of satisfying everyone’s needs, especially those of the winger who wants to find a context that can put him back on display in the season that leads straight to the World Cup. Telephones available in Turin and a careful look at possible surprise destinations, while Comolli has already given a mandate to his collaborators to sift through the list of possible replacements.
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
