Juventus began the final week of October by firing their manager. Two days later, they agreed to a deal for their new manager, while on the same day the short-term caretaker manager ended a six-week-long
winless streak. Now, as we head to the doorstep of the weekend and the beginning of November, one of the biggest vacancies at the club could very well be filled in short order.
According to Sky Italia’s Gianluca Di Marzio and La Gazzetta dello Sport’s Giovanni Albanese on Thursday night, Genoa sporting director Marco Ottolini is set to step down from his role as sporting director at the Marassi in the coming days, with an expected move to Juventus to take over the same role likely in the cards. Ottolini is expected to hold talks with Juventus at some point early next week, according to Di Marzio, with his contract termination by mutual consent at Genoa is still being finalized.
Genoa are expected to name former Lens director Diego Lopez as Ottolini’s replacement. But the more important matter for Juventus is the fact that general manager Damien Comolli might actually be close to hiring a new sporting director — a front office position that has been vacant ever since Cristiano Giuntoli was fired following the conclusion of the 2024-25 season.
That was in the beginning of June. There’s now less than 36 hours left in the month of October.
You feel like this is something that probably should have happened during the summertime or at least before the summer transfer window came to a close on the first day of September, but instead it’s likely going to be early November at the earliest if Ottolini does end up signing with Juventus as their new sporting director.
Considering the overhaul that Juve’s front office has undergone ever since Giuntoli was relieved of his duties in early June, maybe it was too much to ask for all of this to be settled before the summer mercato truly kicked into gear. Or maybe, if Juventus were actually a club that planned for something like Giuntoli’s departure ahead of time, they wouldn’t be hiring a new sporting director five months after he left.
But hey, that’s just the timeline that we have been presented.
Ottolini is leaving Genoa at a time in which the club is sitting dead last in Serie A with no wins in their first nine games this season. His departure could end up being the first step in a host of changes amidst the current struggles, with Patrick Vieira’s status as manager also up in the air despite a recent vote of confidence from Genoa’s management.
