Fiorentina Pursue Joao Mario on Loan from Juventus

Fiorentina have made their first concrete move of the summer at full-back, submitting a formal offer to Juventus for Joao Mario in a deal that underlines how quickly his status has changed in Turin.

The proposal, reported by Gianluca Di Marzio, is built around a season-long loan with an option to buy set at around €8-9 million. Talks are described as advanced enough that an agreement could be wrapped up within the coming week, a clear signal that all parties are ready to move.

For Juventus, the message is blunt. Joao Mario is not expected to feature in Luciano Spalletti’s plans for the 2026-27 campaign. One year after investing €12.6 million to bring him in from Porto, the club is already preparing to cut the cord.

His first season in Serie A never really caught fire. The Portuguese full-back managed just 10 league appearances for the Bianconeri before being shipped to Bologna in January, in a swap that saw Emil Holm head in the opposite direction. It was a short audition for both players. Neither Juventus nor Bologna chose to trigger a permanent move at the end of those loans.

So Joao Mario returned to Turin for pre-season, back in black and white, training and waiting.

Now Fiorentina have stepped in.

The Viola see an opportunity: a 26-year-old full-back with top-flight experience in Italy and Europe, available on terms that spread the risk. A loan to test the fit, an option to buy if he delivers. For a club that has rebuilt smartly in recent years, it is the kind of calculated gamble that can redefine a flank.

For Juventus, it is a chance to clear space in a crowded defensive department and edge closer to recouping part of their initial outlay. For Joao Mario, it could be the reset he needs after a stop-start Italian adventure.

If the deal is closed as quickly as expected, his next step will not be a tactical debate in Turin, but a medical in Florence and a fresh fight for minutes in purple.