Kessié won't join Juventus as formal communication confirms end of move
Quick summary
Sky Sport reports that Franck Kessié will not be moving to Juventus, with formal communication confirming the deal is off.
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Attributed to original sourceSky Sport Italia reports that Franck Kessié has decided against joining Juventus and has informed the Serie A giants about his decision.
Former Milan and Atalanta midfielder Kessié won’t join Juventus this summer.
Kessié won’t join Juventus this summer TORONTO, ONTARIO – JUNE 20: Franck Kessié #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) The Ivory Coast international is available as a free agent after his contract with Al-Ahli expired this past June.
Juventus had been in talks with his entourage for over a month, with the two parties even meeting face-to-face in Milan earlier this week.
SASSUOLO, ITALY – JANUARY 06: Fabio Miretti of Juventus celebrates scoring his team’s second goal during the Serie A match between US Sassuolo Calcio and Juventus FC at Mapei Stadium Citta del Tricolore on January 06, 2026 in Sassuolo, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images) Fabio Miretti’s transfer to Besiktas appeared to clear the path for Kessié’s move to Juventus. However, according to Gianluca Di Marzio of Sky Sport, the experienced midfielder has informed Juventus that there are no conditions for the deal to be completed.
Kessié remains available as a free agent. Earlier this week, Gazzetta reported that Roma were also interested in securing his services.
Juventus play their first home Serie A game of the season this evening, hosting Parma at the Allianz Stadium.
The summer transfer window in Serie A ends on September 1, 2026, at 20.00 local time [19:00 BST]
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What happened
According to Sky Sport, Franck Kessié's expected move to Juventus has collapsed, with formal communication now confirming he will not be joining the Turin club. The Ivorian midfielder had been linked with a return to Serie A after his time at Barcelona, where he has struggled for consistent minutes. Juventus had reportedly been in advanced talks for the former AC Milan player, but those negotiations have broken down. It remains to be seen whether other Serie A clubs will pursue the 27-year-old before the transfer window closes.
Chance analysis
Kessié was once one of Serie A's most dominant box-to-box midfielders during his peak years at AC Milan, and a return to Italy looked like a chance to revive a career that has stalled at Barcelona. For Juventus, the collapse of this deal leaves a gap in their midfield rebuild heading into the new season — they will need to look elsewhere or rely on internal options. Kessié, meanwhile, faces an uncertain window: with limited playing time in La Liga and no Italian move materialising, his next steps will be one of the more intriguing subplots of the summer.
Juventus miss out on a midfield target and must pursue alternative options; Kessié remains at Barcelona with limited prospects of an immediate move elsewhere.