Juventus begin the 2026/27 Serie A season under real pressure to rebuild after missing out on Champions League football last term, and the club's transfer window tells much of the story heading into Sunday's opener at Frosinone. The most pressing issue has been the goalkeeper search, which became one of the more chaotic sagas of the summer. Targets including Alisson, Emiliano Martinez and Zion Suzuki all fell through for various reasons, with Martinez's finger injury raising fitness concerns and Suzuki's move to PSG collapsing entirely. Guglielmo Vicario of Tottenham now appears set to be the solution, though reports suggest Spalletti was not fully convinced by the option.

In defence, there is clearer progress. Jhon Lucumí has joined from Bologna for around 20 million euros, bringing the ball-playing ability and physical presence Spalletti identified as a weakness in his backline. His arrival will reshape the defensive hierarchy around Bremer and Kelly, with exits for Gatti, Rugani and Cabal expected to follow.

In attack, Nico Gonzalez remains unsettled. The Argentine wants to return to Atletico Madrid, and if that move fails, a late swap deal with Milan has been floated. His situation adds further uncertainty to a squad still finding its shape. On a more positive note, owner John Elkann used the club's traditional pre-season friendly against Juventus Next Gen, a 2-0 win at the Allianz Stadium, to restate that winning remains the non-negotiable objective despite the reconstruction underway. The trip to Frosinone will be an early indicator of whether that ambition has a foundation.