Juventus move closer to Barcelona star, offer to sign him on loan with a mandatory purchase clause – reports

Of the options Franck Kessie has on his table, Juventus currently stand out as one of the most appealing ones. The Serie A side may not offer the same money as clubs from Saudi Arabia, but provide him with a platform to showcase his talent in Europe for the years to come.

Earlier this week, it came to light that the Old Lady see the Ivory Coast international to be one of the fundamental pillars of their project should he join. Unsurprisingly, he is now seen as a priority target for them, with negotiations moving swiftly.

According to reports from Nicola Balice (h/t Forza Juventus), Juventus hope to sign Kessie on loan with a mandatory clause to purchase him for €15 million at the end of the season. They still have to convince the player of their project but are confident that they will be able to do so.

In their effort to coerce Kessie to sign for them, the Turin-based side are willing to match his Barcelona salary while also offering him a guaranteed starting role. Moreover, they have already created space for the midfield star on their roster by selling Arthur Melo.

The 26-year-old star currently finds himself far down the pecking order on Xavi Hernandez’s setup and knows he will find it difficult to see minutes next season. His first choice is to continue under the Spaniard’s command, but the competition in the middle of the park is extremely fierce in Catalonia next season.

Barcelona and Juventus have thus planned a meeting in the United States to resolve Kessie’s future at the earliest. The Italians are willing to meet Laporta’s asking price of €15 million for the star as it stands. However, it remains to be seen if the Catalans can postpone the payment until next season as the Italians propose.