Franck Kessie will return to the Allianz Stadium in Turin wearing Atalanta colours, eight and a half years after his previous visit, with an unfinished Juventus story following him onto the pitch. The Ivorian midfielder had appeared close to joining Juventus throughout the summer before choosing Bergamo again, a decision he described as one made from the heart.
A summer deal that never reached the signature
- Juventus identified Kessie as a midfielder who could add experience, authority and a winning background to the squad. His record includes league titles with Milan and Barcelona, as well as two Asian Champions League victories with Al-Ahli.
- Club directors Carnevali and Massara had reached a broad understanding with the player and his representatives early in the summer, but their UEFA settlement agreement required significant sales before the operation could be completed.
- The proposed agreement was for two seasons at €3.5 million per year, with an option for a third campaign and a signing bonus matching that annual salary.
- At the end of August, the move collapsed over the timing of that bonus. Juventus could not make further immediate cash payments and proposed paying it only after the second year of the contract.
- Kessie wanted the amount paid upon signing, and Atalanta moved quickly to bring him back to Bergamo instead.
Public dispute after the reversal
The failed transfer led to an exchange between the Juventus side and Kessie’s camp. Carnevali argued that the club had gone through considerable difficulty to meet the player’s requests, questioning whether the midfielder’s desire to play for Juventus had been strong enough.
He also suggested that the agent’s interests may have played a part, saying that some representatives place their own concerns ahead of those of their players.
Kessie’s agent, George Atangana, rejected that interpretation. He said the midfielder had demonstrated his wish to join Juventus through his actions and by accepting major financial sacrifices. In Atangana’s view, Kessie had waited for weeks, but wanting to wear a particular shirt could not mean giving up his dignity.
Spalletti’s call for calm
Juventus coach Luciano Spalletti sought to close the matter after exchanging messages with Kessie. The player apologised and explained his reasons, while making clear that he would have been happy to play for Juventus, as the club had believed he would.
That conversation may have eased the tension, but the match will offer the more meaningful answer. Kessie enters the Allianz Stadium as an Atalanta player, facing the club he came close to joining and carrying one of the summer’s most personal transfer stories into a Serie A afternoon.
