Juventus Next Gen – what a bargain!

Juventus is reaping the rewards of its Next Gen programme. The Bianconeri were the first club in Serie A to establish an Under-23 squad, in 2018, with the aim of developing talent from within. Since then, the reserve team has established itself as a crucial component of the Turin-based club’s player trading model. Over the last seven years, capital gains generated by players from the reserve team have totalled €187 million: out of a total of €428 million, revenue attributable to Next Gen players accounts for 44 per cent of the total.

The most profitable transfer took place in 2024/25, when Matias Soulé moved to Roma for 25.6 million, generating a capital gain of 22.3 million. For the last financial year, ending 30 June 2026, capital gains from the Next Gen programme are estimated at 33 million out of the more than 44 million achieved, representing the main component of the 56 million in revenue from player management. As well as providing immediate relief for the accounts, the Next Gen programme has often proved to be a source of long-term profitability: between bonuses and sell-on clauses, over 45 million euros have been realised retrospectively, bringing the total proceeds from the Under-23s to just under 235 million. The most recent – and most substantial – case is that of Tarik Muharemovic. The Bosnian defender moved to Sassuolo in July 2024, with the Bianconeri management retaining a 50 per cent share of any future transfer fee. Leeds paid €38 million for him this year, with the Emilia-Romagna club set to pass on €19 million to Juventus. The Under-23s, established as a bridge between the youth teams and the first team, have helped not only to develop talent for the first team (Yildiz and Miretti) but, above all, to generate revenue.