Kessié’s European Comeback Gambit: Will Juventus Break the Bank?

Juventus are intensifying their winter transfer drive behind the scenes, aiming to reinforce the squad after a season hampered by injuries under Croatian coach Igor Tudor.

Numerous disruptions have shadowed the campaign, notably a string of injuries that unsettled both defense and attack and affected balance and results.

Among the sidelined, veteran Brazilian centre-back Gleison Bremer has suffered a fresh setback that will keep him out until early 2026, a heavy blow to Juve’s defensive stability.

Recently, the young Fabio Meriti has returned after a two-month layoff, while long-term absences for Juan Cabal and Arkadiusz Milik have continued to test Tudor’s options in both defense and attack.

Amidst this context, Juventus’ leadership has opted to enter the winter market with two main targets: a new defender to cover Bremer and Cabal, and a physically robust midfielder capable of winning balls and dictating tempo.

Transfer Dreams vs Money

In this frame, Franck Kessié, the Ivory Coast midfielder from Al-Ahli Jeddah, has emerged as a favored option for the Old Lady. The 28-year-old brings European pedigree from his stints with AC Milan and Barcelona, including a Serie A title with Milan under Stefano Pioli.

Having moved from Milan to Barcelona and then to Saudi Arabia in 2023, Kessié appears eager to return to Europe, with Italy presenting a particularly appealing landscape given his best spell in the continent.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the midfielder has started to yearn for top-level competition again, despite enjoying a lucrative spell in Saudi Arabia both on and off the pitch.

There is a sense that Kessié’s European return could be a real turning point for Juventus, especially if the deal could marry his high-level experience with the club’s tactical needs.

Contract reality… and a path back to Europe

The Al-Ahli contract reportedly runs until 2026, which could give the Saudi club a reasonable negotiating position to cash in during the upcoming window rather than risk losing him for free later.

Reports suggest Al-Ahli wouldn’t insist on holding the line if the deal was financially sensible for them and could help project the club’s ability to export talents to Europe.

On the other side, Kessié would welcome a return to Europe, driven by a desire to compete at the highest level while still being in a prime age bracket for a midfielder who can influence a game from deep or higher up the pitch.

A midfield head-to-head: why Kessié fits

Juventus see Kessié as a leader in midfield who can anchor the ball, win duels, and press with bite. His experience in Italian football, combined with his capability to progress the ball and shoot from distance, could complement a lineup designed to control matches and exploit transitions.

Throughout his career with Milan, Barcelona, and the Ivory Coast national team, Kessié has established a profile as a reliable penalty taker and a creator of decisive moments. He has taken 44 penalties in official matches across clubs and country, scoring 36 of them, with eight misses, underscoring both his nerve and his occasional quirks under pressure.

Across 428 official appearances, he has scored 68 goals and provided 34 assists, contributing to over 100 goal involvements in his professional tally—a notable figure for a midfielder at the top level.

There is clearly a technical and physical fit, and a track record of delivering in big games and big leagues, which is precisely what Juventus would be hoping to pull back into Turin.

Salary hurdle… the real kicker

Yet there is a substantial financial obstacle. Reports claim Kessié earns around 10 million euros per year at Al-Ahli, a figure well above Juventus’ usual ceiling, save for a few exceptions in the squad.

Juventus traditionally do not push well beyond roughly 6 million euros per year, aside from special cases such as Dusan Vlahović, who is in a higher bracket. This discrepancy poses a significant negotiation cliff: would the midfielder accept a substantial pay cut for a return to Europe?

The club’s strategy in the summer window already attempted to lower the salary bill by offloading or compromising on certain players, and the winter plan would require a similar willingness from both sides to reach a viable arrangement.

From a practical perspective, a deal would likely require Kessié to accept a reduced package—potentially around 5 million euros annually or slightly higher—to align with Juve’s payroll framework and wage structure of the squad.

For Kessié, returning to the Calcio could be the opportunity to recapture the prime form that helped Milan clinch the league title in 2021-2022, while at the same time re-establishing himself in a demanding European environment.

Ultimately, Juventus’ interest hinges on a balance: can the midfielder’s value on the pitch justify a sustainable financial package, and will Al-Ahli be flexible enough to facilitate a sale that preserves both clubs’ strategic objectives?

From a footballing viewpoint, the Old Lady would gain a seasoned, rhythm-preserving midfielder who can set tempo, press effectively, and contribute in any system that Tudor might deploy.

Whether this becomes a concrete transfer remains to be seen, as talks will have to align sporting intent with a practical budget—because in football, as in life, money talks and sometimes the ball listens better than the players do.

And if the deal finally goes through, Juventus will boast a midfielder who has tasted Europe’s elite stages before and who could lead a fresh wave of success in the Italian league. If not, the transfer window will just have to find another page to write in this saga—though the title of the chapter would still read: “Midfield magic or money matters?”

Punchline 1: If Kessié signs, Juventus’ midfield might finally have a backbone strong enough to outlast my coffee habit—both of them are equally capable of keeping me up all night with plans and expectations.

Punchline 2: And if the salary talk stalls, they can always offer him a symbolic 5-million-euro wage plus a lifetime supply of endless hot takes from the Juve fanbase—guaranteed to be worth every euro spent on morale only.