Kessié's agent blames Juventus for collapsed summer transfer

George Atangana, agent of Franck Kessié, hits back at Giovanni Carnevali and blames the Bianconeri for his client’s failed transfer to the Allianz Stadium: ‘It had become a question of consideration, of confidence in his abilities and, above all, of dignity.’

Kessié’s agent Atangana released a statement on Wednesday to offer his view on why the Ivorian midfielder, a former Milan and Barcelona star, didn’t join Juventus during the summer transfer window.

Kessié’s contract with Al-Hilal expired in June, and Juventus had been in talks to secure his signature for several months.

Kessié ultimately rejected an offer from the Old Lady at the end of August and opted to return to Atalanta instead.

“The negotiation with Juventus didn’t begin in the first days of the transfer window. It began much earlier, when Franck, at the end of his contract, decided that he wanted to join Juventus,” the player’s agent explained in a statement, as quoted by Gazzetta.

Franck Kessie salutes in front of the Atalanta logo (@atalanta_bc) “Franck concretely proved, with facts and enormous financial sacrifices, how much he wanted to wear the Juventus shirt.

“He turned down several offers from other clubs, some of which were figures that would objectively have been impossible for almost any footballer to refuse. He maintained his desire to join Juventus despite receiving offers far more financially lucrative than what he would have accepted from the Bianconeri. This is a fundamental point in understanding the whole affair,” Atangana continued.

“Following Franck’s wishes, I worked toward a mutually satisfactory agreement. We understood the club’s needs, agreed to wait, and gave Juventus the time needed to complete outgoing transfers and create the financial and sporting conditions to make an offer.

“Juventus’ concrete offer only materialised in the very final days of the transfer window. And despite being significantly lower than the terms initially envisaged, I had the player’s approval to revise his demands and lower them precisely to accommodate Juventus’ needs and difficulties: at that point, his priority was not to maximise his earnings, but to join Juventus.

“On this basis, both sides tried to find an acceptable compromise and, as can happen, despite Franck showing great flexibility in order to find a solution compatible with Juventus’ financial requirements, no balance could be reached. Believing that he had done everything possible to meet the club halfway, while being fully aware of his career, his value and, at the same time, the sacrifices he had made to maintain Juventus as his priority, Franck, at the end of August, drew some legitimate and reasonable conclusions about the club’s actual determination to sign him. It had become a question of consideration, of confidence in his abilities and, above all, of dignity.

“There is an African proverb that I believe perfectly captures the meaning of this whole affair: ‘Desiring and deeply appreciating something does not mean being willing to accept it at any cost. Everything has its limits.’ Franck genuinely wanted Juventus and demonstrated this through his actions, patience, and significant financial sacrifices. But wanting to wear a particular shirt cannot mean giving up one’s dignity or the level of consideration that a professional with his career believes he deserves.”

BOLOGNA, ITALY – DECEMBER 28: Giovanni Carnevali CEO of US Sassuolo during the Serie A match between Bologna FC 1909 and US Sassuolo Calcio at Renato Dall’Ara Stadium on December 28, 2025 in Bologna, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images) Juventus CEO Giovanni Carnevali said last week that the deal collapsed because, perhaps, neither Kessié nor his agent had enough desire to join the club.

“There were many difficulties around Kessié’s demands, but I think the main issue is that he and his agent simply weren’t interested enough. Anyone who comes to Juventus must be very proud to wear this jersey,” Carnevali said before a 2-0 win over Parma last weekend.

The player’s agent hit back at the Bianconeri director as well: “I naturally respect everyone’s right to express their position, but on this point I believe it is necessary to set the record straight,” Atangana replied.

“Franck Kessié waited for Juventus for weeks, even when one would have expected the dialogue to remain active within the financial sustainability parameters that had been established to finalise an agreement. Instead, it was only in the very final days of the transfer window that the club became willing to sit down and negotiate concretely.

“I want to be absolutely clear. Franck Kessié is a man and a footballer of the highest calibre. He has played and won at the highest international levels, possesses a personality, experience, and full awareness of his own decisions. He is not someone who can be influenced, and nobody makes decisions on his behalf. The role of an agent, and even more so that of an intermediary, is not to persuade a player to accept a club’s proposal simply in order to complete a deal. The role is to advise, negotiate and help find the right balance between the financial expectations and sporting considerations of both parties. As far as I am concerned, my clients’ interests come before my own. Always.

“The decision to end the negotiations came when, faced with the rigidity and difficulties encountered, Franck felt that the conditions for reaching a positive conclusion no longer existed. This stemmed from the feeling that the club’s management had either lost or perhaps never fully possessed the required conviction and determination.

FROSINONE, ITALY – AUGUST 23: Luciano Spalletti head coach of FC Juventus gestures during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and AC Monza at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on August 23, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Giuseppe Bellini/Getty Images) “I do, however, want to sincerely thank Juventus’ coach [Luciano Spalletti], who showed great appreciation for Franck and motivated him tremendously. It was one of the reasons, if not the main one, why Franck remained available until the very end.”

Kessié has now signed a three-year contract with Atalanta with an option for a further campaign.

“The Percassi family had sensed the player’s discomfort. They know Franck, his story, his character and his values,” the player’s agent concluded.

TORONTO, ONTARIO – JUNE 20: Franck Kessie #8 of Cote d’Ivoire celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group E match between Germany and Cote D’Ivoire at Toronto Stadium on June 20, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) “They spoke with me and they spoke with him, and in those conversations the financial aspect was never the focus. They talked about the history between Kessié and Atalanta, about the young man who arrived in Bergamo many years ago and the man he has become. Sometimes it is precisely these ‘details’ that make the difference.

“Kessié did not choose Atalanta because he had no alternatives. It is important to make that clear. He had alternatives, including offers from prestigious clubs and on extremely significant financial terms. He chose Bergamo because that is where he felt wanted, respected and valued, both as a person and as a footballer. And above all, he has not forgotten where he came from and how much he received there.”