When Juventus finalized the loan deal for Newcastle defender Lloyd Kelly, it was viewed in a rather different kind of way than the other center back they signed on a short-term loan in January, Chelsea’s Renato Veiga. That’s mainly because, unlike Veiga, there was performance-related implications attacked to Kelly’s loan deal that could make it a permanent move in the summertime.
Based on how Kelly has played with Juventus, making him a permanent fixture in a Juve squad beyond the 2024-25 season seems ... not great. Yet the potential of Kelly becoming a Juve player beyond June has always hung over him every time he has played over the last 3 1⁄2 months. It hasn’t gone away — at all. And for good reason.
In fact, according to a report from Tuttosport on Wednesday, one of the two potential obligation to buy scenarios worked into Kelly’s original loan deal with Newcastle has kicked in. We know about the one involving Juve’s involvement in the Champions League next season, but there’s also a clause attached to the number of appearances that the 26-year-old English makes with the Bianconeri during the remaining of the 2024-25 season — and it’s one that he’s already surpassed. That means Juve will send a fee of €14.5 million over to Newcastle on top of the €3 million they’ve already paid for the six-month loan fee.
Kelly has made 13 appearances across all competitions for Juventus since his move from Newcastle was finalized on the final day of the winter transfer window.
For reference sake, let’s go back to the official press release Juventus sent out after they finalized the Kelly deal. As you will notice, “certain sporting objective” is not exactly defined.
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 Lloyd Casius Kelly has been reached for a consideration of € 3 million for sporting season 2024/2025, with additional costs up to € 0.8 million.
The agreement further entails the obligation for Juventus to definitely acquire the player’s registrations 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, payable in three financial years, with additional costs up to € 2.7 million. This consideration may be increased up to a maximum of € 6.5 million over the duration of the player’s contract, upon the achievement of further performance objectives.
So, as was pretty much reported right after the deal went through, the main sporting objective that would have kicked Kelly’s loan deal over into the permanent signing category is Juventus’ qualification for next season’s Champions League. The new part is the appearance clause — which was looking like it might not be met until Juventus’ defense suffered its latest wave of injuries, with Federico Gatti breaking a bone in his heel and then Kelly himself picking up a muscle injury two weeks ago. But, most recently, it’s Gatti’s injury that meant Kelly had to play because Igor Tudor had no other natural options to come into the starting lineup.
Now, as we know, all of the appearances under Thiago Motta and then Tudor over the last couple of months that have added up quickly. And it’s also looking like it’s those same appearances that will cause Juventus to spend more money than they hoped they would on a player who has left a lot to be desired during his short time in Turin thus far.