Lloyd Kelly has been linked with a swift return to the Premier League ahead of his Newcastle United exit being made official.
Kelly joined the Magpies on a free transfer from AFC Bournemouth last summer but was limited to just four Premier League starts before moving to Italian giants Juventus on loan in January.
The agreement between Newcastle and Juventus included a £20million obligation to buy based on certain performance-related criteria, which the Magpies have confirmed has been met.
It was first thought that a move was dependent on Juve qualifying for Europe, which they did after pipping Roma to fourth position to qualify for the Champions League. However, it is understood that the criteria was indeed appearance-based.
Kelly started 14 of his 16 matches and missed two others due to a hamstring injury. The 26-year-old is currently competing at the Club World Cup ahead of his permanent transfer being made official on June 30.
Lloyd Kelly dismisses Premier League return talk
Italian media outlets have been harsh to Kelly since he made the switch to Italy with Gazzetta dello Sport writer Mimmo Cugini calling him the “most disastrous signing in the history of Juventus”.
Earlier this month, a journalist from the same publication, Giovanni Albanese, claimed the Old Lady are ‘ready to put Kelly back on the transfer market’ having not been convinced by his loan spell. In recent weeks, Crystal Palace have been linked with the former Bristol City defender.
However, when asked about his future, Kelly said: “Interest from Crystal Palace? I’m 100% focused on Juventus and doing well here. I want to remain in Turin for a long time.”
What Eddie Howe said about Lloyd Kelly’s exit from Newcastle United
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe didn’t want to lose Kelly but recognised it made financial sense for the club. The former England youth international was behind the likes of Dan Burn, Sven Botman and Lewis Hall in the pecking order and on a sizeable weekly salary.
“It wasn’t necessarily my decision to let him leave. I think it's very reluctant from our side because Lloyd's a player that just recently signed and we believed in him and his qualities,” Howe said. “[It is] slightly frustrating for him that he hadn't played more, but in part that is due to the form of the other players around him.
Read More
“But I think we're in the world and we have been this window of trying to manage PSR [Premier League Profitability and Sustainability Rules] and trying to make decisions that benefit us in the long term. And this is one of those decisions.
“Lloyd leaves with our best wishes. He's certainly had an exemplary attitude in his time here. I'm sure he'll do well in Italy and it's an exciting new challenge for him.”
The permanent exit of Kelly has aided Newcastle’s position under Premier League Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR). United are yet to make a summer signing, though it is hoped a breakthrough will be made at the start of July.
Continue Reading