For much of 2025, the midweek days have been filled with Juventus actually doing things on the field. Far from of it proved to be very good, but they were still playing in Europe and the Coppa Italia. But with no Champions League or Coppa Italia action to occupy our midweek thoughts anymore, the midweek days have suddenly been quiet.
At least not this week.
Tuttosport very much floated a rumor out Tuesday that said former Juventus president Andrea Agnelli has more than just a little bit of interest in trying to become the club’s majority shareholder and owner, potentially with the financial backing of a corporation like Red Bull. That would mean Agnelli would acquire the shares from the Agnelli family’s holding company, Exor, that is currently run by his cousin John Elkann. However, less than two days after rumors of a potential Agnelli return first popped up, Exor has issued a brief statement that have basically shot down any sort of takeover happening.
Exor’s statement, all six words of it, is as follows: “The rumors have no factual confirmation.”
Nothing more. Nothing less. Simply six words that, at least for now, very much deny that Agnelli is going to be taking things over and becoming Juve’s majority owner (with the likely help from some outside financial backers).
“Le voci non hanno alcun riscontro fattuale”: #Exor smentisce qualsiasi indiscrezione circa un riassetto dell’azionariato della #Juventus.
— Giovanni Albanese (@GiovaAlbanese) March 12, 2025
The 49-year-old Agnelli was the understandably the biggest name to be involved when the entire Juventus board stepped down in November 2022 during the early days of the financial investigations into the club. It was news that virtually came out of nowhere during the World Cup break, which was previously a very quiet time for club football.
But the rumors of Agnelli potentially returning to Juventus and becoming the majority owner have always been viewed as complicated even before Exor’s denial. Trying to acquire that much of an ownership stake from his cousin Elkann — who has largely been a quiet figure ever since Agnelli left the club 2 1⁄2 years ago — would be quite a big financial ask abd thus the reason a backer like Red Bull has been suggested.
Knowing that it is now very much a thing that, no matter the truth to it, is out there for Juventini to very much think about, it probably won’t going away. The Italian media will float things, hint at potential things and do just about everything to pump up a story maybe being there for people to read about no matter what their feelings about Agnelli may be. That is just how the Italian media operates — especially when it comes to Juventus.