Reports: Milan Škriniar could become option in January as Juve seek defensive depth

Yesterday at 01:25 PM

Could a return to Serie A be in the cards for a certain Slovakian center back who used to play for a certain Milan club?

One of the many questions that immediately came to mind once we knew Juventus were going to be without Gleison Bremer for a while was what Cristiano Giuntoli might be up to considering his team might be in a bit of a depth crunch in the center of defense.

Most reports over the last week since we learned Bremer is almost certainly done for the 2024-25 season stated that Juventus are likely going to try and weather the storm until January, then hit the market to try and a profile that makes the most sense.

So while there's probably somebody somewhere speculating about there's a list of center backs who are currently free agents available right now, there's one name starting to emerge for January. It's a name most of us are familiar with, although certainly not fans of the club he used to play for.

According to a big front-page story from La Gazzetta dello Sport as well an earlier report from TuttoJuve.com's Mirko Di Natale, former Inter defender Milan Škriniar is a name that has entered the chat when it comes to a Bremer replacement during the January window. Or, at the very least, a depth option in which Giuntoli could get on a short-term basis. That is because Škriniar's adventure over in France with Paris Saint-Germain has not gone well at all — and that is probably putting things lightly. He has barely played through the first two months of the season, logging just 112 minutes in Ligue 1.

Prior to the draw with Cagliari on Sunday, Giuntoli said the following regarding Juve's search for a signing in the center of defense: "It is still very early to say, so we'll see how the team reacts and if there are any opportunities in January."

Now, with just about any player who has moved to PSG over the last handful of years, what said player earns as a salary is always going to be the one of the first areas of concern as to possibly signing him. And Škriniar is very much no different. According to La Gazzetta, Škriniar is currently on a salary of nearly €10 million plus bonuses — no, seriously, that's what they said! — with a contract that runs through 2028.

So, as I am thinking after typing that out, before we talk about the player himself, it is pretty safe to say that PSG will have to kick in a whole lot when it comes to his salary if Juventus want to have any chance of signing him on loan or something potentially more permanent.

Škriniar, who turns 30 in January, made 27 appearances and started 17 games in Ligue 1 last season, with an akle injury sidelining him for 2 ¹⁄₂ months between January and March. His first season in Paris was a mixed bag despite hopes that he would help PSG's need for defensive help. Things clearly haven't gotten any better this season under PSG manager Luis Enrique, with the former Inter man now pretty much a part-time player at best.

Recently, Škriniar said he was "not happy" with his current playing time situation, which has understandably opened the door to plenty of speculation about his future when the January transfer window opens.