Overview
- Juventus confirmed on Tuesday that captain Manuel Locatelli had successful surgery in Lyon to suture the lateral meniscus in his right knee and will begin a rehabilitation programme.
- Early reports suggested a roughly three‑month layoff but Italian media and medical experts now say recovery could extend to five or six months, creating significant uncertainty over his return.
- Locatelli’s absence compounds existing long‑term injuries to Khephren Thuram and Kenan Yildiz and leaves Douglas Luiz and Teun Koopmeiners as the only established central midfield starters.
- The club is weighing short‑term fixes such as promoting Next Gen midfielder Augusto Owusu and targeting free agents, but FIGC/UEFA squad‑list rules and tight wage limits make outside replacements difficult.
- Medical specialists say a meniscus repair is necessary to preserve knee tissue but demands a slow rehab comparable to an ACL recovery, and Locatelli has said he is distraught yet determined to come back stronger.