Despite the mixed reports, Juventus remain on Kalidou Koulibaly’s trail. The club needs to sign a capable replacement who can fill the hole left by the departure of the legendary captain Giorgio Chiellini, and the Senegalese is as good as they come.

Moreover, the 30-year-old’s contract is set to expire in 2023, and Napoli are running the risk of losing his services for free next summer.

But as we all know, Andrea Agnelli’s court will find it hard to negotiate with Partetnopei patron Aurelio De Laurentiis who would loathe the idea of strengthening his northern rivals.

So according to Corriere della Sera via TuttoJuve, Juventus have identified two alternatives in case they fail to sign Koulibaly, and both of them are left-footed.

The first option is Lazio veteran Francesco Acerbi who has massive Serie A experience under his belt.

The Euro 2020 winner saw his relationship with the Biancocelesti supporters deteriorate last season, and he could be on the move this summer, especially following the expected arrival of Alessio Romagnoli.

The former Milan and Sassuolo man is 34, and has a contract with the capital side until 2025.

The second option is Barcelona benchwarmer Clement Lenglet. The Frenchman enjoyed a fine start to life at Catalunya after making the switch from Sevilla in 2018. But his importance to the club declined in recent years.

The 27-year-old is tied to the Blaugrana with a contract until 2026.