Juventus sit sixth in Serie A with seven points from three games, but the mood around the club is far from comfortable. A mounting injury crisis in midfield is the defining story of their early season, and it threatens to derail what had looked like a promising start under Luciano Spalletti.

The blow that hurt most was losing captain Manuel Locatelli to a knee operation after the 1-1 draw with Milan. He joins Thuram on the long-term injury list, stripping Spalletti of two of his most important central players at once. Jeremie Boga has also picked up a problem, and McKennie is not yet fit. That leaves Douglas Luiz and Teun Koopmeiners as the only established midfield options, a remarkable reversal for two players who spent much of last season on the fringes of the squad. Their sudden importance is as much a reflection of the crisis as it is of their own improved form, though Douglas Luiz has earned a Brazil call-up under Carlo Ancelotti after a strong start to the campaign.

To address the shortage, Spalletti is expected to call up Augusto Owusu from the Next Gen squad, while the club has been linked with free agents Brozovic and Bissouma. Regulatory list constraints, however, complicate any immediate signing.

Juventus travel to Sassuolo on Sunday 13 September, and how Spalletti manages his depleted resources in that fixture will say a great deal about where this squad is heading.