Neto agrees Juventus return as free agent until June 2027

Neto, the 37-year-old Brazilian goalkeeper, has agreed a contract with Juventus until June 2027, according to multiple reports in Italy. He returns as a free agent after leaving Botafogo, with a medical still to come.

Juventus needed a goalkeeper because Kamil Grabara tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in training. He is on loan from Wolfsburg and played once for the club, keeping a clean sheet and setting up a goal for Nico Gonzalez in a 5-0 win over NEC in the Europa League. The injury came the day after. The transfer window is shut, so Juventus turned to the free-agent list.

Sky Sport Italia's Gianluca Di Marzio and Matteo Moretto both confirm the agreement, and Gazzetta, Tuttosport and Corriere dello Sport report the same. Corriere dello Sport says Neto gave his consent and would gladly go back to Turin.

He has been here before. Neto joined Juventus in 2015, having played in Serie A for Fiorentina, and kept 13 clean sheets in 22 appearances. Valencia, Barcelona, Bournemouth, Arsenal and Botafogo followed.

Grabara has had surgery and posted a photo from his hospital bed on Instagram.

The post drew thousands of likes from Juventus supporters. The club has said it will back him through the recovery, according to Corriere dello Sport.

Juventus rebuilt the goalkeeping department this summer. Michele Di Gregorio and Mattia Perin left, and Guglielmo Vicario arrived on loan from Tottenham alongside Grabara. Neto is a short-term answer, and Yahoo Sports reports that Juventus are already looking further ahead. Gazzetta names Frosinone's Lorenzo Palmisani as one of the top targets for next season, the kind of young goalkeeper who could become a starter in the years to come.

If the deal is completed, Neto would back up Vicario until the summer. That would leave Juventus free to decide on Palmisani, and on what happens to two loan goalkeepers, without the pressure of an empty position.