Juventus won’t bring back loaned-out defender in January | OneFootball

Juventus loanee Tiago Djalo will reportedly remain at Porto for the rest of the season despite the Old Lady’s deficiency at the back.

The Bianconeri have been dealt with two major blows in their defensive line, first losing Gleison Bremer to an ACL injury in October, and more recently Juan Cabal due to a similar problem. This has left Thiago Motta with a depleted backline, forcing the management to take action in January.

The Serie A giants are currently being linked with a host of possible candidates. The list includes the likes of Milan Skriniar, Jakup Kiwior, Victor Lindelof and even their youth product Radu Dragusin.  Nevertheless, some sources have been suggesting a less costly solution, by bringing back one of the players who remains on the club’s books.

But according to Italian journalist Nicolo Schira, a Juventus return isn’t on the cards for Djalo.

The Portuguese defender failed to convince Thiago Motta in pre-season, so he was omitted from the coach’s plans. Eventually, he managed to seal a late-summer switch to Porto, and despite his late arrival, he’s managing to gain increasing playing time as of late.

As Schira explains, Porto coach Vitor Bruno considers the 24-year-old a key figure in his project, and he insists on maintaining his services, at least until the end of the season.

So while Juventus won’t be able to count on Djalo for the second half of the season, his improving form is good news for the Bianconeri who invested 3.5 million euros to sign the defender from Lille 10 months ago.

The Sporting youth product is still working on regaining his form after enduring an ACL injury in March 2023. Nevertheless, if the player manages to recapture his early-career promise, Juventus could either hand him a chance next season, or use him as an exchange pawn in their attempts to sign Francisco Conceicao on a permanent basis.