Juventus Weigh Up Sensational Return For Cremonese Star Tommaso Barbieri
Juventus only sold Tommaso Barbieri to Cremonese 18 months ago.
Giuseppe Labellarte
Updated on 20 January 2026
Juventus and Napoli are both tracking Cremonese defender Tommaso Barbieri, according to reports in Italy.
Both the Bianconeri and the Partenopei want a right wing-back who can rotate with their current first choices during the second half of the season.
And Barbieri has impressed in Serie A with Cremonese, where he has made 15 league appearances and provided one assist this season.
The interest is not limited to the title challengers either, with Torino also in the picture as they search for help on the right flank.
Why Juventus are watching Tommaso Barbieri closely
For Juventus, this story has an extra layer, because Tommaso Barbieri used to play for them.
He came through Juve’s Next Gen setup and made four competitive senior appearances for the Bianconeri.
Barbieri spent a season on loan at Pisa before Juventus then sold him to Cremonese in 2024.
Now, Tuttomercatoweb report Juventus are ‘evaluating’ the idea of bringing him back, as they look for depth without overhauling their squad.
Juventus have used different shapes in recent months, and a player like Barbieri can fit both a back four and a back five.
Juve is also a familiar environment for him, which can reduce risk compared to signing someone from abroad in January.
A first Serie A start in #SassuoloJuve for Tommaso Barbieri ⚪️⚫️💪 pic.twitter.com/S83iiuUxDU
— JuventusFC 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@juventusfcen) April 17, 2023
Why Napoli and Torino are eyeing Tommaso Barbieri
Napoli, like Juventus, also want a right-sided option who can share minutes and keep standards high.
A wing-back who can play often, but also accept rotation, is a valuable profile in a long season with Europe and domestic cups.
Torino are in the mix too. TMW say director Gianluca Petrachi is looking for a right winger-wing-back for Marco Baroni’s system.
The report adds Barbieri has already been monitored in person, showing Torino are doing more than just browsing names.
Why Juventus could have the edge over Napoli and Torino
Barbieri has gone from strength to strength at Cremonese, culminating in interest from some of Italy’s top teams.
Torino would likely offer Barbieri a lot of first-team football, but realistically, it would be more of a sideways step for him.
The Granata are currently below Cremonese in the Serie A table and are unlikely to challenge for titles any time soon.
Napoli are an obvious draw, considering they’re the reigning champions and once again in the Scudetto picture.
However, Juve will probably fancy their chances of winning the race, given Barbieri recently said they were responsible for the “best day” in his life.
He said in December, as per Tuttojuve: “My Champions League debut?
“I was warming up and was called up for the final minutes. Against Mbappé, Messi, and Sergio Ramos.
“For the first few moments, I had no idea what was happening. It was the best day of my life.
“And I thought: You’re playing in the Champions League, now do what you have to do and enjoy it.”
Other players on Juventus radar this month
Elsewhere in Bianconeri news, Juventus like Franck Kessie and are considering a move for the former AC Milan and Atalanta man.
Juventus also want Niccolo Fortini, with Roma also in the picture.
Other Juve targets in the January transfer window include Jean-Philippe Mateta and Youssef En-Nesyri.
Giuseppe Labellarte
Giuseppe Labellarte is a sports journalist with over a decade of professional experience in the industry. His main professional expertise is in soccer. Prior to joining FootItalia, he worked for the likes of Sports Mole, TBR Football, the Chelsea Chronicle and numerous other sites, along with having bylines in the likes of the Nottingham Post. He holds degrees in Journalism and International Relations.
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