Overview
- Football sources confirmed on Saturday that Franck Kessié has signed for Atalanta as a free agent, returning to the club where he began his Italian career.
- Reports say Kessié informed Juventus on Aug. 29 that he would not join after failing to agree personal financial terms, with the signing-on fee and bonuses cited as the decisive sticking points.
- Roma and clubs in Saudi Arabia had been linked to Kessié during the summer, but Atalanta moved quickly to open talks and complete the free transfer within hours of Juventus talks collapsing.
- Juventus now face a short-term scramble to fill a midfield gap and are weighing internal rotation, moves for surplus players such as Youssouf Fofana, or the signing of available free agents like Marcelo Brozović before the window closes.
- Kessié, who turned 29 this year and left Al‑Ahli as a free agent in June, brings Serie A experience back to Atalanta and could influence their domestic and Conference League campaigns given his prior form in Italy.