Lois Openda is not expected to feature in Luciano Spalletti’s long-term project at Juventus for the 2026-27 season. However, the club currently finds itself unable to sanction the Belgian striker's exit, even though several clubs in Ligue 1 have expressed a firm interest in securing his services.
The Bianconeri are facing a significant personnel challenge at centre-forward during the off-season. Following the departure of Dusan Vlahovic after his contract expired on June 30, the club's senior striking options are limited to Openda, Arkadiusz Milik, Jonathan David, and new arrival Jeff Ekhator. Neither Openda nor Milik are considered central to Spalletti’s tactical plans moving forward.
According to reports from La Gazzetta dello Sport, interest in Openda remains active despite his difficult debut campaign in Serie A during the 2025-26 season. While Monaco, Rennes, and Coventry City have been linked with the forward, clubs such as Lyon and Lens are currently viewed as the most likely destinations for the player this summer.
Despite the club's desire to remove Openda from their books, Juventus are effectively paralyzed by a temporary shortage of available forwards. The team is scheduled to play a pre-season friendly against Standard Liege this Saturday, July 25, and currently lacks sufficient depth to let players go. This situation is compounded by the fact that Jeff Ekhator has not yet reached full fitness, while Jonathan David remains on holiday following his participation in the 2026 World Cup.
Consequently, Juventus are expected to hold onto the unwanted pair of Milik and Openda for at least the next week, as they cannot afford to deplete their attacking ranks before the squad returns to full strength.
