Juventus Explore Reijnders Transfer Amid Kessié Delays

Juventus have opened a channel to Manchester City over Tijjani Reijnders, moving quickly to line up an alternative as their pursuit of Franck Kessié drags on.

Reports in Italy say the Turin club have held initial, exploratory conversations on two fronts: with Reijnders’ camp to understand how keen the Dutch midfielder is on a switch to Serie A, and with City to test the waters over a possible loan. At this stage there is no formal negotiation, no figures on the table, but the contact is real and expected to continue in the coming days.

A new midfield idea for Spalletti

The interest in Reijnders underlines Juventus’s intent to reshape a crowded but unsettled midfield, an area Luciano Spalletti is determined to upgrade. The Netherlands international, who previously impressed at Milan, joined Manchester City only a year ago for around €55m and started brightly in England.

Since then, his status at the Etihad has dimmed. Competition has intensified, minutes have become harder to guarantee, and Reijnders has slipped down the pecking order. That situation has alerted Juventus, who see an opportunity if City are open to a temporary deal.

The appeal is obvious: Serie A experience, tactical versatility, and the profile of a player entering his prime rather than one on the way down. For a club trying to accelerate a new cycle without another huge transfer outlay, a loan for a high-level midfielder ticks several boxes.

Kessié deal stuck in neutral

Reijnders’ name has gathered momentum partly because the Kessié operation refuses to cross the finish line.

Kessié, another former Milan midfielder, has been a free agent since 30 June and has edged closer to an agreement with Juventus in recent days. The outlines of a deal are there, but not yet signed, and the Ivorian has grown impatient. He wants clarity, not a saga that drags late into the window.

That stance puts pressure on Juventus. Delay too long and they risk losing a player they have courted for weeks. Move too fast without freeing space and they risk overloading an already swollen department.

One in, at least one out

And that is the crux. Juventus currently have eight midfielders on the books. Any new arrival, whether Kessié or Reijnders, depends on at least one departure, possibly more.

Until those exits materialise, every conversation remains framed as “exploratory”, every target a possibility rather than a certainty. Juventus are walking a familiar tightrope: trying to convince players to join a project that still needs room made for them.

For now, Reijnders stands as the clearest alternative if Kessié slips away. The question is simple, and unforgiving: who will Juventus clear out, and how quickly, to turn these quiet calls into a concrete move?