Thiago Motta has been sacked by Juventus. Lloyd Kelly, meanwhile, is set to join Juve on a permanent basis from Newcastle United this summer - but only if conditions are met.Thiago Motta has been sacked by Juventus. Lloyd Kelly, meanwhile, is set to join Juve on a permanent basis from Newcastle United this summer - but only if conditions are met.
Thiago Motta has been sacked by Juventus. Lloyd Kelly, meanwhile, is set to join Juve on a permanent basis from Newcastle United this summer - but only if conditions are met. | Getty Images
Lloyd Kelly’s time at Juventus has hit a major hurdle following the departure of Thiago Motta, with the Magpies waiting on a major PSR busting cash injection.
Newcastle United’s finances will be boosted by £20m this summer when Lloyd Kelly’s loan move to Juventus is made into a permanent one. Kelly, who spent just half-a-season at St James’ Park, moved to the Italian giants during the January transfer window in a deal that is expected to be turned into a permanent one when the summer window opens.
Kelly will join the Old Lady permanently at the end of the season if clauses in the deal are triggered, however, such clauses are understood to be very achievable with Juventus, in an official statement back in February, describing their expectation of singing Kelly permanently as ‘high probability’. ‘Given the high probability of the conditions for the player's acquisition being achieved,’ a statement read, ‘this transaction for accounting purposes, qualifies as a definitive acquisition effective from today for a total amount of € 17.5 million, plus additional costs.’
The conditions of the loan and the clauses that need to be triggered have not been revealed publicly by either club, however, it is believed that as long as Juventus qualify for European football, that Kelly will move to the Allianz Stadium on a permanent basis. However, Juve have failed to live up to their promise this season and it’s currently uncertain if those clauses will be met this season.
Juventus sack Thiago Motta
Juventus are currently sat 5th in Serie A, a spot that should the season end tomorrow, will be good enough for a place in next season’s Europa League. However, seventh placed Roma, are just two points behind them in the table with both Fiorentina and AC Milan breathing down their necks.
With just six points separating Bologna in fourth and Milan in 9th, the race for European football in Italy is set to be a dramatic one and should Juve fail to turnaround their current form, they could very easily find themselves not playing continental football next season. Back-to-back league defeats, a Coppa Italia exit to Empoli and elimination from the Champions League has seen the two-time European champions suffer a damaging month, with Thiago Motta paying for the club’s poor form with his job.
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Motta was sacked by Juventus on Monday with the club immediately revealing that Igor Tudor would succeed him in the dugout: ‘Juventus FC announces that it has relieved Thiago Motta of his position as coach of the men's first team," a club statement said. "Juventus also announces that it has entrusted the leadership of the Men's First Team to Igor Tudor who will direct the first training session tomorrow.’
Kelly, meanwhile, will now be keen to impress his new manager whilst Newcastle United will be hoping that Tudor can transform their fortunes and ensure that they are able to trigger the clauses needed to pocket £20m from Kelly’s permanent move. The departures of Kelly and Almiron in January are set to net the Magpies around £30m in money that can be spent on new signings when the summer transfer window opens.
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