Franck Kessie Holds Out for Juventus Transfer

Franck Kessie is in no rush. The Ivorian midfielder has left Al Ahli and the riches of Saudi Arabia behind, and he is now waiting – very deliberately – for one club.

Kessie holds out for Juventus

Kessie is a free agent after ending his spell at Al Ahli, where he earned a significant salary but sacrificed the European spotlight. At 27, he wants that back. He wants Europe again, and he wants Serie A above all.

Other clubs have come calling. He has options. Yet he continues to stall, keeping the door wide open for Juventus before he even considers anyone else.

The reason is clear enough. In Italy, Kessie is keen to work under Luciano Spalletti in Turin, and that ambition has shaped his entire stance in this window. As a free agent, he has a luxury most players do not: time. He can sign outside the traditional transfer window, which allows Juventus to focus first on sales and other incoming deals before turning to him.

So he waits.

The Massara connection

Talks between Juventus and Kessie have already taken place in recent weeks. The player’s camp knows where he wants to go. He is pushing to make sure the move happens.

A key figure in this story is Frederic Massara. According to Sky Sport Italia, the relationship between Massara and Kessie is central to the midfielder’s determination to join Juventus. The pair worked together at AC Milan, and that bond has reassured Kessie that the Bianconeri’s interest is serious, not a passing idea.

That trust matters. It explains his patience. It explains why, despite other offers, he has not jumped at the first proposal placed in front of him.

Kessie has little incentive to rush. Juventus remain his clear priority, and as long as he is unattached, he holds the leverage to wait while the club sorts out its internal business.

Juventus play the long game

Inside Juventus, the strategy is straightforward. The club must complete certain sales and close other transfer deals before they can move decisively for Kessie.

Massara has reportedly assured the midfielder that Juventus will act when the moment is right. For now, the focus is on players who are still under contract elsewhere, because those transfers are locked to the window’s deadline. Kessie is not. His free agent status gives Juventus rare breathing space in a market defined by countdown clocks and last-minute scrambles.

That flexibility is invaluable. It buys the Bianconeri time to reshape their squad, trim the wage bill, and then, if everything aligns, bring in a proven Serie A midfielder without a transfer fee.

Kessie, for his part, seems willing to play the waiting game. The lure of returning to European football, of stepping back into Serie A, and of working under Spalletti in Turin is strong enough to keep him on hold while other clubs move on to different targets.

For now, the move hangs in the balance of Juventus’ outgoing business. If the necessary sales go through and the numbers add up, the Ivorian could finally walk back into Italian football wearing black and white.