Juventus Next Gen manager Paolo Montero is reportedly walking on thin ice, as his catastrophic start to his new role at the club may have reached a premature end.

The Uruguayan is a Bianconeri legend who still holds a special place in the hearts of the club’s supporters for his exploits between the late 90s and early noughties.

The 53-year-old returned to Turin in the summer of 2022 to take charge of the Juventus Primavera side, and managed to register decent, if unspectacular results. He was also at the helm of the senior squad for the final two fixtures of the previous campaign, acting as a caretaker manager following Max Allegri’s sacking.

This summer, Juventus Next Gen parted ways with Massimo Brambilla, while Montero earned an internal promotion. Nevertheless, this choice hasn’t exactly paid dividends, as the young squad finds itself at the bottom of the Serie C (Group C) table.

Montero during his time at the Juventus Primavera

After suffering a defeat against fellow relegation strugglers Foggia, Juventus remained 19th in the standings, with just seven points accumulated from 14 rounds. They are only ahead of Taranto who were slapped with a point deduction.

Therefore, Tuttosport doesn’t rule out an immediate sacking, as the management has already given Montero a few opportunities to steady the ship, but to no avail. The Bianconeri are counting on the Next Gen squad to continue to provide the first team with talented young players, the likes of Nicolo Fagioli and Kenan Yildiz. However, a demotion to Serie D would be a major blow to the whole project.

Therefore, the management could act swiftly and decisively, and relieve Montero of his duties. The Turin-based newspaper claims Brambilla is the favorite to replace the Uruguayan, as he remains unattached after leaving Foggia a couple of months ago.

The 51-year-old was in charge of the squad over the past few seasons, and managed to steer the team towards the playoff spots following a slow start last season.