What Newcastle United are demanding for Lloyd Kelly as Juventus talks continue
JUVENTUS remain in talks over a possible deal for Lloyd Kelly, but Newcastle United are reluctant to agree to a loan arrangement for the defender.
Having turned down a bid of around €13m from Fenerbahce for Kelly earlier this month, the Newcastle hierarchy also rebuffed Juventus’ initial approach for the 26-year-old last week.
Juventus’ strong preference is for an initial loan deal, that would potentially convert into a permanent transfer in the summer if certain conditions were met. As things stand, though, Newcastle do not feel such an agreement would suit their needs.
Ideally, the Magpies do not really want to lose Kelly this month, with Eddie Howe having spelled out the risks of losing a centre-half at a time when Jamaal Lascelles remains unavailable through a long-term injury.
However, having signed Kelly as a free agent in the summer following his departure from Bournemouth, there is also an acceptance that a sale for £20-25m this month would have a major positive impact on Newcastle’s PSR position heading into the summer.
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Selling Kelly would also lead to a significant reduction in the Magpies’ wage bill, with the defender understood to be earning around £100,000-a-week after agreeing to move to St James’ Park without the need for a transfer fee.
However, allowing Juventus to sign Kelly would only really make sense if Newcastle were to get the vast majority of any money up front, and at the moment, the Serie A club appear reluctant to agree to such a deal.
That could change as the transfer deadline draws near, and given they are not in a position where they need to sell Kelly, Newcastle officials are willing to wait to see if Juventus’ position changes in the next week-and-a-half.
The Italian club, who currently sit fifth in Serie A, have already been priced out of a move for AC Milan’s Fikayo Tomori and appear to be running out of viable options as they attempt to strengthen their defence.
Juventus are also understood to be in talks with Feyenoord over David Hancko, another left-footed defender who can play at either centre-half or left-back.
Miguel Almiron’s proposed move to Atlanta United continues to move closer, with the MLS side increasingly confident of being able to iron out the remaining issues that have so far prevented the Paraguayan from completing a return to the United States.
Almiron, who has entered the final 18 months of his current deal on Tyneside, is set to leave Newcastle for a fee of around £10m plus add-ons.
