According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Juventus is accelerating its pursuit of Kessie.

For Franck Kessie, extra time is needed, and Juventus is indeed playing for time because the club wants to cross the finish line with its head held high. Juventus first contacted the Ivorian midfielder's agent, and now they will engage directly with the midfielder who has played in Bergamo and AC Milan in Italy. Today is expected to be a decisive day—at least that's what outsiders hope. Juventus Vice-President and CEO Giovanni Carnevali and Technical Director Frederic Massara will hold an in-depth discussion with Kessie himself. The reason is straightforward: bypassing the agent means going straight to the source of the problem, and this approach also applies to these negotiations, allowing disagreements to be resolved and a deal to be reached without interference from other voices. Juventus will do everything possible to provide the best candidate for coach Luciano Spalletti. The midfield currently needs strengthening, and at the same time, a leader who can stabilize the situation is needed to make this somewhat fragile area more solid.

Direct Negotiations

There are many concerns about Juventus's new midfield setup, both physically and tactically. The first physical issue has affected Khephren Thuram, who has been largely absent from team training throughout August, and that's not all. Spalletti said on match day: "Yes, I'm worried. This issue hasn't gone away. The lad has been forced to miss all duties over the past few months..." Before tonight's match against Parma, young Thuram is still not an option. On the tactical front, there's still the question of Koopmeiners, whom the club placed on the transfer list, but no suitable buyers have emerged in Italy or Europe; and Douglas Luiz, praised by Spalletti today, but his future remains uncertain, as the Brazilian's match rhythm is still under observation. Thuram continues to be a concern, while Koopmeiners and Douglas Luiz need to step up when called upon. Juventus's midfield needs reinforcement, so securing Kessie at the last minute has become a priority in these final hours of the transfer window. This path is difficult, but it's essential for those who want to proceed with greater peace of mind through a long season.

Full Confidence

Extra time is allowed, but there's no room for penalties: at the Continassa training ground, Juventus will try to secure Kessie's agreement before tomorrow to avoid having to search for alternatives to the Ivorian midfielder in the final 48 hours of negotiations. Roma has withdrawn from the race, which is no small advantage: Roma was also targeting Kessie, and although the terms they offered were slightly higher than Juventus's, they weren't enough to tempt the midfielder who is interested in and attracted to Spalletti's coaching style. The figures are clear: Roma offered 4 million euros, while Juventus offered 3.5 million euros per year over two years, plus an option to extend for a third year. Juventus has long known the Ivorian midfielder's thinking and is aware that Turin is his top priority, so today's direct meeting could achieve the effect Carnevali and Massara are hoping for.

Troubled Throughout the Summer

Thuram remains a concern, Koopmeiners cannot find a suitable buyer, and Douglas Luiz hopes to compete with Locatelli and utility player McKennie for consistent playing time. Against this backdrop, Kessie has become a savior due to his experience, leadership, adaptability, and fighting spirit: if the 29-year-old, after three seasons in Saudi Arabia, can return to Italy as a former AC Milan player, it would mean a great deal to a developing Juventus. Thuram is a concern because his knee hasn't fully recovered, though he has trained individually throughout the summer to treat his injury and eliminate any lingering issues. Koopmeiners has also attracted interest from the Saudi league, where Kessie went, but the Dutch midfielder, in his third season at Juventus, is not interested in Saudi Arabia, and he doesn't have many options left in Turin. Douglas Luiz has gained Spalletti's trust, because August football often obscures the truth, sometimes developing in one of two directions: today the Brazilian is a starter, but if he wants to remain a starter in the coming months, he needs to pick up the pace to meet the coach's demands. Kessie can solve many of these problems: his agent's asking price is not low, far from the 7 million euros on Juventus's table, so Juventus has chosen to go directly to someone who wants to return to Serie A.

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