Deal done! Napoli player linked with Sporting joins Serie A's 19th | OneFootball

In this summer transfer window, Juan Jesus was linked with Sporting at a time when the Brazilian centre-back was nearing the end of his spell with Napoli. However, the Brazilian never moved to Alvalade and is now expected to join another Italian club.

According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano and Italian newspaper Gazzetta Dello Sport, the 35-year-old centre-back has decided to continue his career in Italy, signing a one-year contract with Venezia - who finished 19th in the Italian league and are the former club of Issa Doumbia.

Despite his résumé and the experience he has built up at the highest level of European football, the defender did not fit the profile Sporting had outlined to strengthen the heart of the defence. In Alvalade, the priority was players with greater room for development and future resale value, such as Ibrahima Ba.

There were never any contacts or any kind of negotiations between Sporting and the Brazil international. The administration led by Frederico Varandas had other matters on its hands that were considered more urgent and strategic for squad planning.

In the 2025/26 season, Juan Jesus - valued at €1.5 million - made 35 appearances: seven in the Champions League, 24 in Serie A, two in the Coppa Italia and two in the Supercoppa.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.