Juventus Transfer Market: A “Nostalgia” Move Is in the Works for Midfield
Juventus is ready to take the first concrete steps toward signing Franck Kessie, one of the top free agents on the market. Talks with the Ivorian midfielder have been ongoing for several months now, but in recent hours, Juventus management has reportedly decided to step up efforts to reach an agreement.
The former Milan player, fresh off his stint in Saudi Arabia, would welcome a return to Serie A and would view a move to Turin favorably, where he would be reunited with Frederic Massara, the executive with whom he shared the Scudetto victory during his time at Stefano Pioli’s Milan.
However, the financial hurdle remains to be overcome. Kessie is reportedly asking for a salary of approximately 5 million euros net per season, in addition to signing bonuses and commissions. For this reason, Juventus is also working on offloading players, with the goal of freeing up space in the salary cap and financing the deal without compromising the balance of the new technical project led by Luciano Spalletti.
It’s worth noting that Juventus’ interest in Kessie stems from a long and complex process. As early as the beginning of June, when the midfielder had officially announced his intention not to renew his contract with Al-Ahli, the Bianconeri were the first to make a move, considering him the ideal player to bring physicality, attacking runs, and leadership to the midfield of the new era. Behind Juventus, however, Inter and Lazio also remain on the lookout, with Gennaro Gattuso’s Lazio able to count on the special relationship between the coach and the player, dating back to their time at Milan.
The Ivorian midfielder then helped keep his stock high with an excellent World Cup performance for the Ivory Coast, where he stood out with strong displays, including the opening goal scored against Germany in the group stage. That very World Cup had further reignited interest in him, with Kessie himself making no secret of his willingness to return to Serie A: “There’s talk of Juventus; I’ve read about it too. I can say one thing: I’d be a great signing. I’m in good shape and, above all, a free agent. It’s hard to ask for more.”
