If a football team is a china shop, as Tuttosport whimsically suggests, then Jérémie Boga is already one of its most useful elephants — and Juventus would very much like to add another one. That second Ivorian “elephant” would be Franck Kessié, the former AC Milan midfielder whose wages negotiations have been grinding forward for weeks. The latest intelligence from Turin is encouraging: the two sides have come a long way down from Kessié’s original demand of €7 million per year, and the current expectation is that an agreement can be reached at just under €6 million. The mood, sources suggest, is good.
“He Is a Good Player and a Good Person — Whoever Arrives, I Am Happy”
Asked after the Basilea friendly about the prospect of his Ivory Coast teammate joining him in Turin, Boga was warm, measured, and diplomatically enthusiastic. “We have not spoken recently,” he said. “But he is a good player and also a very good person. Whoever comes, I am happy.” It was a response that said everything without quite committing to the transfer prediction — the instinct of a player who has learned, at a club like Juventus, that discretion on transfer matters is always the safer path.
“We Showed Good Football — But We Are Not Yet at Our Physical Peak”
On the opening pre-season performance against Basilea, Boga was honest about where the squad stands and positive about the direction of travel. “I think we played a good match. Obviously, physically we are not yet at our best — but with the ball we showed a good style of play, which is something we wanted to do this year. We take each game as an opportunity to improve our fitness. I feel very well personally. It is a pleasure to be playing matches again.”
“I Set Myself No Limits”
Despite scoring four goals in just half a season at the club — a return that justifies considerable optimism about what he can contribute across a full campaign — Boga was careful not to attach a specific numerical target to his ambitions. “No, I set myself no limits. I repeat: I am convinced that in every match I must work to be increasingly decisive — with assists, goals, and important plays. I always try to give everything for the team. At the end of the season we will see how many goals I manage to score.”
On his positional flexibility, he was equally grounded: “When you play for a club like Juventus, you have to be ready to adapt to several roles. Left, right, or more central — it is all the same to me. I always give my maximum.” And on the club’s continued investment in new arrivals: “I think it is positive that more strong players are arriving, because they raise the quality and the level of competition — and that is good for the whole squad. Continuing to be part of this project is something that genuinely appeals to me.”
The Permanent Deal — A Phone Call He Had Been Waiting For
Asked about learning of his permanent transfer from Nice being confirmed, Boga allowed himself a rare moment of unguarded emotion. “When I found out about the permanent signing I was on holiday — but I was only waiting for the call to know it had been done. When I received it, I was very happy, together with all my family, to be able to continue this adventure with Juventus.”
Hungry to Make Amends for Last Season
The final note of the interview struck the tone that will characterise this pre-season above all others at the Continassa: a burning desire to correct the mistakes of 2025-26. “We were all disappointed because qualifying for the Champions League was an objective we failed to reach. But this year we are ready and motivated to achieve our goals and go as high as possible.” It is, in its own way, the most important thing Boga said all evening.
