Dramatic update on Lloyd Kelly permanent transfer from Newcastle United to Juventus | OneFootball

Juventus signed Lloyd Kelly from Newcastle United two 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.

With three rounds of games left to play in Serie A, Juventus are actually in a Champions League place, fourth in the table. It is very tight with only one point separating fourth and seventh, however, Juventus are now strong favourites to get some kind of European football.

However, now Il Biancanero which specialises in Juventus coverage, state that they now have the correct details of what is needed to make the Lloyd Kelly move to Juventus permanent AND that this has already been triggered.

Rather than a necessity for European qualification, Il Biancanero say that their information is 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, fits 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 has been first choice and made 12 starts for the Serie A club until recently picking up an injury. So clearly, if indeed the trigger was a token number of appearances, then for sure Lloyd Kelly will have satisfied that.

Il Biancanero say that now it is just a matter of waiting for the official announcement that the permanent transfer to Juventus has been triggered – 6 May 2025:

‘Juventus looks to the future and does so with one more certainty: Lloyd Kelly will be a permanent Bianconero.

No official announcement for now, but the reality is that the redemption from Newcastle has already taken place.

And no, it has nothing to do with European cups. No clauses tied to the Champions League, Europa League or even the Conference. The fate of the young Englishman was already sealed, and his permanence in Turin is a question of… numbers. Appearances, to be precise.

When the agreement between Juventus and Newcastle for the loan of Kelly was discussed , there was much speculation about the criteria for the automatic redemption. The most widespread narrative was linked to a “European” condition: if Juve had finished in one of the top seven positions, the redemption would have been triggered. But the truth is another, more subtle and also more interesting: among the clauses provided for, a minimum threshold of appearances in the season, easily reachable, triggered the obligation to purchase.’

Juventus official confirmation of details on the Lloyd Kelly 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.’