Whichever way you dice it – Lloyd Kelly is now a Juventus player | OneFootball

Juventus signed Lloyd Kelly from Newcastle United two and a half months ago.

It was a loan with an obligation to buy if certain conditions were met.

Those conditions widely reported as all but a formality.

The official release from Juventus (see below) stated that; ‘Given the high probability of the conditions for the player’s acquisition being achieved, this transaction for accounting purposes, qualifies as a definitive effective acquisition…’

Juventus also giving the exact amounts of money that Newcastle United would receive:

A loan fee of €3 million (approx £2.5m) for season 2024/2025.

Then if the obligation to buy was triggered, a guaranteed further €14.5 million (approx £12.0m)

Then up to another €6.5 million (approx £5.4m) in future add-ons if certain targets were met.

A couple of weeks after that loan deal went through, there were claims in the Italian media of what the ‘achievement of certain sporting objective during the season 2024/2025’ was needed, to trigger that permanent deal at the end of the season.

Those claims were that Juventus had to finish in a qualifying place this season for a European competition, whether that be Champions League, Europa League or Europa Conference League. Basically, finish in the top six as a minimum.

However, only a couple of weeks ago, Il Biancanero, which specialises in Juventus coverage, stated that they now had the correct details of what was needed to make the Lloyd Kelly move to Juventus permanent AND that this had already been triggered.

Rather than a necessity for European qualification, Il Biancanero said that their information was that it was a lot more simple than that, Lloyd Kelly only having to make a token number of Juventus appearances this season, to trigger the permanent deal.

Which to be honest, fitted in a lot better with what Juventus said in their original release (see below) detailing the Lloyd Kelly loan arrangement. Where they made clear that it was seen as a foregone conclusion.

Since making his debut off the bench for Juventus on 7 February 2025, Lloyd Kelly had been first choice and made 12 starts for the Serie A club until picking up an injury in late April.

After missing two Serie A games, Lloyd Kelly was back in the Juventus side that won 2-0 at home against Udinese in their penultimate game of the season. So clearly, if indeed the trigger was a token number of appearances, then for sure Lloyd Kelly will have satisfied that.

Whichever way you dice it, Lloyd Kelly is a Juventus player for sure now.

As that win over Udinese leaves the Serie A table looking like this now, with just one round of matches left to play.

As you can see, Juventus now guaranteed top six and European football next season. Indeed, if they win away at second bottom Venezia on Sunday, Lloyd Kelly and Juventus are guaranteed Champions League football next season. So whether it is European qualification, or a token number of appearances, a Lloyd Kelly move to Juventus is now permanent for sure.

A lot of the media coverage of Kelly’s loan period at Juventus has been ridiculously over the top in a negative way, not matching the reality. Juventus have won seven and lost only three of the 11 Serie A matches Lloyd Kelly has featured in (10 starts and one as a sub). Whilst apart from two heavy defeats to rivals Atalanta and Fiorentina, in the other eight Serie A matches that Kelly has started, Juventus have only conceded three goals.

Juventus official confirmation of details on the Lloyd Kelly loan deal – 3 February 2025:

‘Agreement with Newcastle for the acquisition of the player Kelly

Turin, 3 February 2025

Juventus Football Club S. p. A. announces that an agreement with Newcastle United Football Club for the temporary acquisition, until 30 June 2025, of the registration rights of the player Kelly Lloyd Casius has been reached for a consideration of €3 million (approx £2.5m) for sporting season 2024/2025, with additional costs of up to €0.8 million (approx £0.66m).

The agreement further entails the obligation for Juventus to definitely acquire the player’s registration rights, subject to the achievement of certain sporting objective during the season 2024/2025. The agreed consideration for the definitive acquisition is €14.5 million (approx £12.0m), payable in three financial years, with additional costs of up to €2.7 million (approx £2.24m). This consideration may be increased up to a consideration of €6.5 million (approx £5.4m) over the duration of the player’s contract, upon the achievement of further performance objectives.

Given the high probability of the conditions for the player’s acquisition being achieved, this transaction for accounting purposes, qualifies as a definitive effective acquisition from today for a total amount of €17.5 million (approx £14.5m), plus additional costs. It should be noted that the final evaluations about the accounting recognition of the transaction will be performed for the preparation of the Annual Financial Report as of 25 June 2025.’