Giovanni Carnevali has delivered his most frank and unambiguous public statement yet on the state of the Kolo Muani negotiations, speaking to La Politica nel Pallone on Rai GR Parlamento on the first day of Juventus’s pre-season. The message is clear, blunt, and entirely consistent with everything the new chief executive has communicated since arriving at the Continassa: PSG’s demands are too high, the deal cannot be done on their terms, and Juventus are not prepared to stretch their financial model for anyone.
“Their Requests Are Far Too High — More Than €45 Million”
Carnevali left no ambiguity about the state of negotiations with Paris Saint-Germain. “The requests are too high — more than €45 million,” he confirmed. “We need to reduce costs. Certain expenditure is simply no longer within our reach.” It is the most direct and public confirmation yet that the gap between the two clubs’ positions has not narrowed meaningfully, and that Juventus’s ceiling — understood to be in the region of €35-38 million — and PSG’s floor of over €45 million remain significantly apart.
The figure itself is telling. PSG’s internal reset following the €73 million sale of Gonçalo Ramos to AC Milan earlier this summer has recalibrated their reference points upward in a way that makes a deal with Juventus on the previously discussed terms no longer straightforward. For Carnevali, accepting those terms would set a precedent that undermines the entire financial philosophy he has been building at the club since June.
Why Juventus Were Drawn to This Market in the First Place
Speaking more broadly about his decision to accept the role at Juventus, Carnevali was expansive and emotionally candid. “It was a beautiful opportunity — perhaps the most important of my career,” he admitted. “I did not hesitate. I immediately thought about what it meant to be able to work at a club like this.” He described the challenge ahead as one that requires building sustainably, reducing the cost base, and finding ways to compete whilst operating within tight but clearly defined financial parameters.
That philosophy — which he has described consistently since arriving — is now making itself felt in the most visible transfer negotiation of the summer. It is not that Juventus do not want Kolo Muani. The player wants to come, Spalletti wants him, and the personal terms have been agreed for weeks. It is that wanting something and being able to pay for it on terms that respect the club’s financial obligations are two entirely different things.
What Happens Next — and the Frattesi Possibility
With the Kolo Muani situation at an impasse, Carnevali also addressed the midfield position — and specifically the possibility of Davide Frattesi. The Inter midfielder, whose desire to leave the Nerazzurri has been public knowledge for some time, represents the kind of experienced, technically accomplished addition that Spalletti has been requesting. Whether a deal involving Frattesi — potentially including Andrea Cambiaso as a makeweight — can be structured in a way that satisfies both clubs’ financial requirements remains an open question. But its mention by Carnevali himself in a public forum on pre-season day one is significant.
The opening week of the new season has confirmed one thing above all else: this is a Juventus that will not overpay, will not be rushed, and will not compromise its financial integrity for the sake of a headline signing. Whether that approach ultimately delivers the squad Spalletti needs to compete — or leaves him frustrated as the window ticks down — is the defining question of the summer still to be answered.
