Juventus plan january Move for World Cup winner after summer rejection

Juventus are once again targeting Atletico Madrid right-back Nahuel Molina, a player who rejected their offer last summer.

The Italian club wants to strengthen its right wing-back position since coach Igor Tudor has been using Pierre Kalulu, a centre-back, in that role.

Although Juventus signed Joao Mario from Porto, he has not secured a regular starting place. The club also sold Alberto Costa, Timothy Weah, and Nicolo Savona, leaving few options in defense.

Last summer, Molina was close to joining Juventus in a deal that would have seen Nico Gonzalez move the other way.

Atletico Madrid’s Argentine defender Nahuel Molina celebrates scoring the equalizing goal during the Spanish Liga football match.

However, the Argentine decided to stay at Atletico Madrid, fearing that a move to Italy might risk his place in the Argentina national team.

That choice has not worked out well. The 2022 World Cup winner is now struggling for game time under Diego Simeone, playing just over 150 minutes in all competitions this season.

Atletico brought in Marc Pubill and still rely heavily on Marcos Llorente, reducing Molina’s chances even more.

Molina is now open to leaving Madrid and sees Juventus as a good opportunity to revive his career. The 27-year-old has been on Juventus’ radar since his days at Udinese (2020–2022), and the Italian giants are expected to make another move in January 2026.

Juventus need depth and pace on the right side, and Molina could be the ideal fit. He has international experience, technical skill, and attacking qualities that could help Juventus improve their width and creativity.

Nahuel Molina of Argentina celebrates after scoring the team’s first goal during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 quarter final.

If the deal goes through, it could benefit both the player and the club  giving Molina the fresh start he needs and providing Juventus with a proven defender for the second half of the season.