Juventus names Giovanni Carnevali as new CEO and general manager, replacing Damien Comolli

Management shake-up at Juventus

Juventus announced on Thursday the appointment of Giovanni Carnevali as its new chief executive officer and general manager, replacing Damien Comolli who leaves after a single season in charge. The board ratified the change during a meeting on 11 June, according to Il Fatto Quotidiano, and a club statement confirmed the decision on Friday morning. Comolli received a severance payment of 850,000 euros gross, while Juventus waived the recovery of his signing bonus, Open reported.

Carnevali's first words

The former Sassuolo executive expressed pride at joining the Turin club.

“I am proud and honoured to be part of this club, rich in history and identity. I thank the company, the majority shareholder and John Elkann for the trust they have placed in me.”

Carnevali, 65, said he would work with all components of the club to make Juventus "increasingly competitive on the national and international stage, while respecting the club's history and the ambitions of the bianconeri fans."

Comolli's short and troubled stint

Comolli's tenure, which began after the 2024-2025 season, quickly ran into difficulties. Corriere della Sera reported persistent conflicts with head coach Luciano Spalletti, disagreements over transfer strategy (including a failed move for goalkeeper Alisson) and a disappointing market campaign. Juventus missed qualification for the Champions League, a financial blow that contributed to the leadership change. The French executive had been summoned by majority shareholder John Elkann for discussions earlier in the week, but those talks failed to salvage his position.

Market priorities and the road ahead

Carnevali will officially take office on 15 June, La Stampa noted. He arrives with a deep knowledge of Italian football and is expected to lead transfer negotiations personally. The club is pursuing Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano "Dibu" Martínez, with talks advanced but not yet finalised, Il Fatto Quotidiano reported. Sporting director Marco Ottolini remains in post and will work with Carnevali on concluding deals. Juventus must operate under financial fair play constraints, requiring a net-zero transfer balance. Il Corriere described Carnevali as a traditional football executive, comfortable in the corridors of Serie A and ready to compete for the scudetto.