João Mário loses patience at Juventus, considers January exit | OneFootball

João Mário has been experiencing a period below expectations at Juventus, having played only ten matches since joining the club.

According to journalist Nicolò Schira, the right-back hopes to secure a starting position in the upcoming matches for the Old Lady, now under the guidance of Luciano Spalletti, who replaced Igor Tudor as head coach.

Schira adds that the Croatian coach was not a fan of the Portuguese international and that João Mário will consider requesting a transfer if his competitive situation does not change by the reopening of the market in January.

Last summer, Juventus and FC Porto agreed on the transfers of João Mário and Alberto Costa. On July 24, FC Porto announced the acquisition of Alberto Costa for a fixed 15 million euros, with an additional million dependent on objectives.

On the same date, the blue and white club announced the permanent departure of João Mário for a total of 12 million euros, retaining the right to 10% of any future profit from the sale of the player's sporting rights, developed at Olival.

The daily Gazzetta dello Sport even mentioned regret, contrasting the different trajectories of the two athletes.

Alberto Costa, 22 years old, has stood out at FC Porto, demonstrating defensive solidity and usefulness in the offensive plan: he has five assists in thirteen matches, a number that could have been higher if he hadn't suffered an injury in September.

On the other hand, João Mário, 25 years old, has yet to establish himself: he has only one assist, recorded in the home match against Borussia Dortmund (4-4).

For the position in question, the team has opted for Kalulu or McKennie.

In the Italian Serie A, Juventus is in sixth place with 19 points, six behind the leaders Inter and AS Roma. In the Champions League, the team drew at home with Sporting (1-1).

The Turin team will face another Portuguese team on January 21, 2026, when they host José Mourinho's Benfica, currently outside the positions that grant access to the playoff for the round of 16.

In the competition ranking, Juventus is in 26th place with three points, still seeking their first victory, a situation similar to Benfica, 35th and still without points.

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