Juventus’ Next Gen program, established in 2018, has proven to be a lucrative venture, generating nearly €90 million in player sales over the past two months. The recent sales of Matias Soulé to Roma and Dean Huijsen to Bournemouth have brought the total number of outgoing transfers involving Next Gen players to six. These transactions follow the departures of Enzo Barrenechea, Samuel Iling Junior, Koni De Winter, and Felix Correia, significantly boosting Juventus’ finances and providing essential funds for the club’s operations during the summer transfer window.
La Gazzetta dello Sport detail how the Juventus Next Gen team, initially known as Juventus Under 23 and competing in Serie C, has consistently produced marketable players. Notable past sales include Stephy Mavididi to Montpellier for over €6 million, Radu Dragusin to Genoa (now at Tottenham) for €10 million, Filippo Ranocchia to Palermo for €4 million, and Manolo Portanova to Genoa for €12 million. This year, however, Juventus has accelerated its player sales strategy.
Excluding Moise Kean’s move to Fiorentina and Kaio Jorge’s transfer to Cruzeiro, all recent sales involve players who have come through the Next Gen ranks. The financial impact of these transfers is substantial. De Winter’s move to Genoa, triggered by their survival in Serie A, brought in €10 million. Iling Junior and Barrenechea’s transfers to Aston Villa fetched a combined €28 million, including bonuses. Correia’s sale to Gil Vicente added €1.5 million, while Soulé and Huijsen’s deals are set to bring in €30 million and €18 million, respectively.
Juventus has also secured future sell-on percentages for these players, potentially increasing the total revenue. If all performance-related bonuses are met, the club could amass €87.5 million from these transactions, with the possibility of reaching a nine-figure sum if additional sales, such as that of Marley Aké, are completed.
The Next Gen program’s success is further underscored by the contributions of players like Kenan Yildiz and Nicolò Fagioli, who also emerged from the development squad. This highlights the undeniable benefits of Juventus’ second team in supporting the first team’s competitive and financial objectives.
