The setting for today’s decisive meeting carries its own symbolism. At the Grand Hotel in Rimini — the traditional venue for the ceremonial opening of the Italian transfer window — Giovanni Carnevali will sit down with PSG sporting director Luis Campos, and potentially PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi, to thrash out the final terms of Randal Kolo Muani‘s return to Juventus. The backdrop of the Adriatic sunshine and the convivial atmosphere of the Rimini gathering will, the bianconeri‘s hierarchy hopes, provide the perfect environment for a deal both sides want to conclude as quickly as possible.
The Baggage That Must Be Left Behind
Before any negotiation can begin in earnest, Carnevali must first repair the damage done to the relationship between Juventus and PSG during the Comolli era. The French club remain stung by the events of last summer, when a breakdown in communication with the then-director general forced them to send Kolo Muani to Tottenham on loan without any guarantee of a future buyout — and ultimately caused Comolli to turn in desperation to Lois Openda for €46 million. It was, as Tuttosport bluntly notes, a humiliation that serves no further purpose to examine.
Carnevali, who has enjoyed an excellent personal relationship with Campos built over many years, is the ideal figure to draw a line under that chapter. “Let us put the past behind us” is understood to be the spirit of his opening approach. PSG, for their part, are equally keen to move on — they have already raised €75 million from the sale of Gonçalo Ramos, with further income potentially taking that total beyond €110 million. The conditions for a productive conversation have rarely been more favourable.
Full Agreement with the Player — a Five-Year Deal at €5 Million Per Season
The most significant revelation in Tuttosport’s reporting is that Juventus and Kolo Muani have already reached total personal agreement on the terms of his return. The French striker has said yes to a five-year contract at €5 million per season — one year longer than previously discussed, a structure deliberately chosen to spread the financial impact across the balance sheet and make the wage commitment more manageable within Juventus’s UEFA Settlement Agreement framework. On those terms, Kolo Muani would become the third-highest earner at the club, behind Jonathan David — assuming he remains — and Kenan Yildiz.
Those close to the player describe his current state of mind in vivid terms: joy, excitement, and impatience — the emotions that belong to the anticipation of a new beginning. Alongside them, a degree of understandable nerves about the outcome of today’s club-to-club summit. He wants to come back. Everything now depends on PSG.
The Numbers: €35 Million vs €40 Million
The sole outstanding obstacle is, as ever, the transfer fee. PSG are currently valuing Kolo Muani at above €40 million. Juventus have made clear they are prepared to go to a maximum of €35 million, bonuses included. The gap is real, but it is not wide — and crucially, both clubs acknowledge that the posturing of the early stages needs to be set aside. Once the ritual opening positions have been exchanged, the expectation is that both parties will find a way to meet in the middle.
The structure of the deal is also to be finalised today. PSG’s preference is a clean permanent transfer. However, they are understood to be open to the possibility of a paid loan with a conditional obligation to buy — triggered by the achievement of specific sporting objectives — should that formula prove easier for Juventus to accommodate within their financial constraints.
The Timeline: Spalletti Has Been Reassured
Spalletti has been kept closely informed throughout and has been given reassurances that Kolo Muani will arrive in time for the squad to operate cohesively heading into the new season. The ideal scenario — shared by both clubs’ management — is that the deal is concluded in time for the French striker to report to the Continassa for the start of pre-season training on 13 July. The realistic and non-negotiable target, however, is the final week of July — allowing Kolo Muani to complete at least a handful of training sessions before the squad departs for their pre-season tour of Hong Kong and Perth.
Today’s meeting in Rimini is not the end of the story. But it is, emphatically, the beginning of the final chapter.
