Juventus captain Manuel Locatelli facing three-month absence as midfield crisis deepens for Luciano Spalletti

The Juventus captain sustained the injury during Sunday’s hard-fought draw against rivals AC Milan at the Allianz Stadium. Following the match, the 28-year-old underwent extensive medical examinations to determine the severity of the discomfort in his knee. The tests confirmed the worst fears for the Bianconeri medical staff, revealing a significant injury to his external meniscus that requires immediate intervention. To ensure a full recovery, the club has opted for a surgical procedure to repair the damage rather than a simple removal of the affected tissue.

According to Tuttosport, the preferred medical solution is a meniscus suture, a more solid solution but with a recovery time of at least 3 months. While this approach offers a more durable long-term outcome for the player's career, it effectively rules Locatelli out of action until the winter break.

The timing of Locatelli's absence could not be worse for Juventus, as the midfield department is already operating at a breaking point. The club is currently navigating a long-term crisis without Khephren Thuram, who was forced to undergo surgery to address a femoro-patellar syndrome. The French midfielder is not expected to return to competitive action until 2027, leaving a massive void in the center of the park that Locatelli was previously helping to fill.

Compounding these issues is the ongoing struggle to keep other key personnel on the pitch. United States international Weston McKennie has been forced to sit out the last two fixtures due to persistent muscular fatigue, while summer signing Pape Sarr has yet to make a significant impact. Sarr arrived from Tottenham Hotspur with a minor muscular problem and has lacked the necessary pre-season preparation to be integrated into the starting eleven immediately.

The problems for the Bianconeri extend far beyond the midfield, with several other areas of the pitch affected by the current injury plague. Star forward Kenan Yildiz remains a long-term absentee following surgery on his foot, with his return not anticipated until after the November international break. The loss of Yildiz’s creativity in the final third has already been felt in recent draws, and the additional loss of Locatelli’s distribution from deep only exacerbates the team’s struggles to break down disciplined defensive blocks in Serie A.

Elsewhere, the defensive depth is also being tested. Jeff Ekhator and Juan Cabal are both currently sidelined and are expected to miss approximately another month of football as they recover from their respective ailments. Meanwhile, Italian international Andrea Cambiaso is nursing a minor ankle sprain, though there is hope he can return to the fold sooner than his teammates.

Faced with a lack of senior options, Spalletti is now forced to look internally at the club’s youth ranks to bridge the gap. The Juventus Next Gen squad, which competes in the lower tiers of Italian football, is expected to provide several reinforcements for the first-team training sessions and matchday squads. One name that has frequently surfaced in technical discussions is Augusto Owusu, the talented youngster who has impressed scouts with his performances for the reserve side.