Gleison Bremer underwent a routine surgery to remove a partially torn meniscus, but he won’t be rushed back, as the issue was in the same knee where he tore his ACL last year, so Juventus are preparing for a long absence and could search for defensive reinforcements in January, La Gazzetta dello Sport informs.

The Brazilian center-back could be sidelined for up to two months. It’ll take him three to four weeks to be cleared to return to practice. Then, the return date will hinge on his sensations as he ramps up.

Juventus have started kicking the tires on a few options to ease the burden on Bremer once he’s back. They are searching for a veteran and have Kim Min-Jae and Milan Skriniar on their radar. However, they both make €9M annually. It could be easier to lure the latter, who’s not a regular starter at Bayern Munich.

The Bianconeri could also bolster the wing, allowing them to move Pierre Kalulu permanently to the back line. Nahuel Molina remains in their crosshairs after their summer pursuit, when he rejected joining them on loan. He hasn’t been a fixture and could change his mind. The Old Lady likes Brooke Norton-Cuffy, but it’ll be hard to convince Genoa to sell.

Our Take on Juventus and Bremer

Injuries have struck where they were most vulnerable, as they were optimistic in not signing another center-back and settled with Joao Mario on the flank, who has evidently yet to win over Igor Tudor. They’ll be linked to usual suspects, but just a patch wouldn’t be great. They should sign an experienced and reliable lefty who would slot next to their stalwart eventually. Their budget is a big question mark.