Juventus hijack Celik's Roma renewal in surprise coup
Quick summary
Juventus have reportedly swooped in to sign Mehmet Zeki Çelik, interrupting his expected contract renewal with Roma.
Full article
Attributed to original sourceZeki Celik is set to become a Juventus player, with the Bianconeri pulling off a stunning late raid on a deal Roma believed was done.
According to TuttoMercatoWeb , Juventus have closed the signing of the Turkey defender on a free transfer, with Celik having already completed his medical at the J Medical centre and his agents finalising the last contractual details on a three-year deal.
Only the official announcements remain, expected within hours. The operation was conducted at speed and in silence, a “blitz with the headlights off,” driven decisively by sporting director Frederic Massara, just as everything appeared set for the player to re-sign with Roma.
Kenan Yildiz of Juventus and Roma defender Zeki Celik face off in Turin (@officialasroma) Celik’s Roma renewal collapses at the final hurdle The twist is a painful one in the capital after Roma had reached an agreement with Celik on a new contract earlier this month, with reports at the time indicating terms worth around €3 million per season had been settled and even signed off, leaving only the announcement outstanding.
Crucially, though, the player’s previous deal had expired on 30 June, meaning he has been a free agent for two weeks, and nothing legally bound him to Roma when Juventus made their move. The Giallorossi, certain of their agreement, could do little to stop it.
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What happened
Juventus have made a surprise move to hijack Mehmet Zeki Çelik's contract renewal at Roma, reportedly reaching an agreement with the Turkish full-back ahead of the Giallorossi. Çelik had been widely expected to extend his stay at the Stadio Olimpico, but Juventus's intervention has changed the picture. The deal represents a significant transfer coup for Juve, who add a versatile defender to their squad while Roma lose a player they had planned to retain.
Chance analysis
This is a notable transfer development in Serie A. Çelik's versatility across the right flank (right-back and wing-back) makes him a tactically useful addition for Juventus, who have needed depth in those positions. For Roma, losing a player they were set to retain is a setback both in sporting terms (squad continuity) and potentially financially, though they may receive a transfer fee rather than see him leave on a free.
Juventus gain a versatile right-sided defender; Roma lose a player they intended to keep, weakening their defensive depth on the right flank.
Factor Çelik as a Juventus player for upcoming Serie A predictions, removing him from Roma's available squad.