Fiorentina Pursues Joao Mario from Juventus: Loan-and-Buy Proposal

Fiorentina have stepped to the front of the queue for Joao Mario, submitting a formal offer to Juventus for a deal that could be wrapped up within days.

The Viola have proposed a season-long loan with an option to buy, with the total package reported to be in the region of €8m-€9m, according to Gianluca Di Marzio. Juventus are listening. Joao Mario is not expected to feature in Luciano Spalletti’s plans for the 2026-27 season, and the Turin club are ready to find a solution.

This is not a drawn-out saga in the making. The structure is clear, the figures are on the table, and there is a shared urgency to close. The move is being described as one that could be finalised as early as next week.

Joao Mario arrived at Juventus from Porto in the previous summer window for €12.6m, a signing made with an eye on the future.

The future never truly started. The Portuguese full-back managed just 10 Serie A appearances for the Bianconeri before being sent on loan to Bologna in January, in a swap arrangement that saw Emil Holm move the other way.

That double loan failed to turn into anything permanent. Neither Juventus nor Bologna triggered an option to keep their respective loanees, and Joao Mario returned to Turin for pre-season, back in the group but very much on the market.

Now Fiorentina are trying to turn that stalled chapter into an opportunity. A loan with an option to buy gives them a full season to judge whether Joao Mario can anchor their right flank long term, while Juventus look to recoup a significant portion of their initial outlay and clear space in a crowded defensive department.

If the two clubs close the gap on the final details, Joao Mario’s next step in Serie A will come in purple rather than black and white.