Juventus Transfer Market: After Franck Kessié’s Rejection, Plan B Resurfaces

A night of deliberation has passed, and this time, the verdict did not go in Juventus’ favor. Franck Kessié has chosen not to meet Juventus halfway and to stand firm on his demands. The terms of the deal, which have changed several times over the past few weeks, ultimately caused the agreement to fall through for good. As was already reported yesterday evening, no agreement was reached between the parties, and the midfielder’s representatives informed Juventus of the player’s decision.

The main sticking point concerns his salary. Kessié had asked for a salary in the range of 5 million euros net per season, after initially requesting a total of approximately 8 million. This figure was considered outside Juventus’s budget, though the club had managed to narrow the gap in recent talks. The parties had reached a verbal agreement on a figure between 4 and 4.5 million euros net. Part of the difference was to be covered by a signing bonus. It was precisely this element that became one of the most sensitive points in the negotiations, ultimately causing the deal to fall through.

The collapse of the Kessié deal now forces Juventus to look around more carefully. The alternatives are few, and the only other midfielder being seriously considered remains Youssouf Fofana, who is currently outside Milan’s plans. The Frenchman could be a solution to round out the midfield, especially through a loan deal with an option to buy. This is a possibility that could come back into play precisely in light of the situation that has arisen with Kessié.

Milan, too, is looking for opportunities to shore up its roster and is eyeing players surplus to Juventus’ needs. Nico Gonzalez remains on Ruben Amorim’s wish list, while the Rossoneri may also be interested in a center back. In this scenario, Federico Gatti could also come into play in discussions between the two clubs, opening the door to a potential trade in the final hours of the transfer window.