Khéphren Thuram and Manuel Locatelli will miss the rest of 2026 after knee surgery, leaving Spalletti short in midfield for a congested run of fixtures. Højbjerg has emerged as the name Juventus want to cover the gap in January.

Two senior midfielders will be missing as Juventus head into a congested run of fixtures. Thuram should be back with the group in January, and Locatelli only in the spring, Sport Mediaset reported. Both men are recovering from operations on the right knee.

Thuram underwent chondroplasty to treat patellar chondropathy. Dr Bertrand Sonnery-Cottet carried out the procedure at the Hôpital Privé Jean Mermoz in Lyon. Locatelli had his external meniscus sutured, also in Lyon, after spraining the knee against Milan. He was due to start rehabilitation the day after the operation.

A short-handed midfield faces four matches in 12 days

Spalletti now has to rely on Douglas Luiz, Koopmeiners and new signing Pape Matar Sarr in the middle. The run opens with Venezia at 12:30 on 22 November. Omonia visit the Allianz Stadium at 21:00 on 26 November. The trip to Como follows at 20:45 on 29 November. The sequence closes with a Coppa Italia last-16 tie against Sassuolo.

Como present a sharp test. Fàbregas’s side have 23 points. They play a European fixture on 24 November, five days before they host Juventus.

The table leaves little room for slips. Juventus have 18 points from five wins, three draws and three defeats. They are 11 points behind leaders Lazio and six points off the Champions League places.

Sarr arrived on 1 September on loan from Tottenham until 30 June 2027. Juventus paid a €2.5 million fee plus €0.3 million in additional costs. The deal includes a €27.5 million permanent transfer, spread over three financial years. That becomes compulsory if certain conditions are met during 2026/27. The club describes him as a physically strong box-to-box midfielder. He has more than 100 Premier League appearances and won the 2024/25 Europa League with Spurs.

There is some relief elsewhere in the squad. Nico Gonzalez, Conceição and Cambiaso could all be available for Venezia. Yildiz hopes to return around December.

Højbjerg emerges as the January cover for midfield

The absences make a January move for a midfielder more likely. Juventus have three targets for the window: a centre-forward, a defensive midfielder and a left-back. Pierre-Emile Højbjerg is the name for midfield, with Sørloth and Miranda also on the list, QS reported.

The profile is clear. Juventus want an experienced midfielder to bridge the gap until Thuram returns and Locatelli follows later. These remain media reports rather than a club statement.

Until then, the existing group must carry the load. The Coppa Italia tie with Sassuolo is set for the Allianz Stadium in Turin on Thursday 3 December at 21:00.