Juventus cross their fingers as Thiago Motta emerges as top candidate for Ligue 1 job | OneFootball

Juventus are hoping to finally ditch Thiago Motta from their payroll, as the manager is being linked with the LOSC Lille hot seat.

The 43-year-old emerged as one of the most exciting young tacticians in Europe after guiding Bologna to a historic Champions League qualification at the end of the 2023/24 season.

His exploits at the Renato Dall’Ara earned him Cristiano Giuntoli’s admiration. The then-Juventus Football Director decided to bet on the Italo-Brazilian manager, handing him the reins in the summer of 2024, after showing Max Allegri the door.

Thiago Motta endured a miserable Juventus tenure

Sadly for Motta, his time at Juventus proved to be largely unsuccessful. Although his tenure began on a promising note, the project swiftly disintegrated.

Between February and March, the Bianconeri suffered embarrassing eliminations from the Coppa Italia at the hands of Empoli, and the Champions League against PSV Eindhoven, while the humbling back-to-back defeats to Atalanta (4-0) and Fiorentina (3-0) proved to be the final nail in the coffin of a managerial stint that only lasted eight months.

Motta was replaced by Igor Tudor in March 2025, but he and his technical staff have remained on the club’s books ever since.

The former Inter and Paris Saint-Germain midfielder has received multiple offers from all over Europe, but he has been holding out for an enticing project while relying on his Juventus contract as a financial guarantee that allows him to bide his time.

Thiago Motta linked with LOSC Lille role

According to TuttoJuve, Motta is considered the leading candidate to replace Bruno Genesio, who is expected to end his two-year stint at Lille.

The experienced French manager could still lead the Ligue 1 side back to the Champions League, but all signs suggest his exit is a foregone conclusion.

Therefore, it remains to be seen if Motta would be tempted by the project. The manager is familiar with French football, having played at PSG for six years and coached their youth ranks following his retirement. A UCL qualification would certainly boost Lille’s chances of attracting the young head coach.

In the meantime, Juventus can only hope that Motta accepts the proposal, as he and his technical staff reportedly weigh around €7.5–8m on the wage bill.

If the former Italy international chooses to accept Lille’s proposal, he would have to terminate his Juventus contract, which remains valid until June 2027.