Locatelli Set for Six Months Out After Knee Surgery

Juventus midfielder Manuel Locatelli has had successful knee surgery following an injury suffered over the weekend, and could be out of action for as long as six months, according to a report from Football Italia.

The news adds to what is turning into a rough run of injuries for the Bianconeri, who have watched several key players go down since preseason began. While a few have since made their way back onto the pitch, fresh setbacks keep piling up.

Juve spent big in the last transfer window to strengthen the squad, but that investment now looks shakier given the injury list piling up around Locatelli, Kenan Yildiz and Khephren Thuram. What makes the timing worse is that midfield was already a thin area for the club before any of this happened.

Yildiz is expected back in around three months, while Thuram's injury is more serious. He is not expected to play again until 2027. Locatelli's recovery time looks set to land somewhere in that same range, and given how short-handed Juve already are in midfield, his absence could end up hurting the team the most.

The club simply does not have much cover in that position right now, and losing Locatelli only tightens the squeeze. Weston McKennie is also still working his way back from a smaller issue, leaving Juve with very few reliable bodies to call on.

All of this leaves the Bianconeri exposed right where they can least afford it, and finding a workaround while the injured players recover will not be simple.

It is a tough opening stretch to the season for Juve, who clearly did not plan on dealing with this many injuries this early. Even so, the squad will need to find a way to stay competitive until reinforcements return from the treatment table.

For now, the hope inside the club is that things start to turn around soon, though losing Locatelli for up to six months is a significant blow either way. 

Juve may end up looking to bolster their midfield when the January transfer window opens, but until then, they will have to make do with what they have and manage a growing list of absentees as carefully as possible.