Following the departure of the legendary Giorgio Chiellini, Juventus must find a capable replacement at the back for the iconic captain.

While Federico Gatti should join Max Allegri’s squad after signing from Frosinone in January, the young defender might not be ready to take the heavy torch immediately.

Therefore, the Bianconeri are keeping tabs on other options including some household names.

According to la Gazzetta dello Sport via ilBianconero, Juventus haven’t given up yet on signing Kalidou Koulibaly who hasn’t renewed his Napoli contract.

The Senegal international will inherit the captaincy from Lorenzo Insigne next season following the Italian’s transfer to Toronto. Nevertheless, the defender’s contract expires in 2023 and the Partenopei have failed to make any progress on the renewal front.

In fact, the source explains that the southerners are hoping to lower his yearly salary from six million euros to three, a proposal that obviously failed to tempt the player.

So while Juventus are hoping to pounce on the situation, the report warns them from stern competition, as the likes of PSG, Barcelona and Chelsea are also monitoring the situation.

Moreover, the Bianconeri and Napoli haven’t conducted a direct transfer since Gonzalo Higuain’s controversial switch in 2016, which left a bitter taste in the mouth for the Azzurri supporters.

Therefore, Aurelio De Laurentiis is unlikely to consent a transfer that would see one of his most precious stars join his northern rivals.

However, the transfer market has taught us to never say never.