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 spot in the starting lineup for the Old Lady’s upcoming matches, 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 playing situation does not change by the time the transfer window reopens 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 signing of Alberto Costa for a fixed fee of 15 million euros, with an additional one million dependent on objectives.

On the same date, the blue and white club announced the permanent departure of João Mário for a total amount of 12 million euros, retaining a 10% right over any future capital gain from the sale of the player’s sporting rights, who was developed at Olival.

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

Alberto Costa, 22 years old, has stood out for FC Porto, showing defensive solidity and usefulness in attack: he has five assists in thirteen matches, a number that could have been even higher if he had not suffered an injury in September.

João Mário, on the other hand, 25 years old, has yet to make his mark: 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 Serie A, Juventus is in sixth place with 19 points, six behind leaders Inter and AS Roma. In the Champions League, the team drew at home with Sporting (1-1).

The Turin side 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 appears in 26th place with three points, still searching for their first win, a situation similar to Benfica, who are in 35th place and still have no points.

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