Juventus have made a significant strategic decision regarding their midfield for next season: Khéphren Thuram is available for sale, and the proceeds of his departure could fund the simultaneous pursuit of both Franck Kessié and Stanislav Lobotka — giving Spalletti the midfield rebuild he has been demanding since the day he arrived at the Continassa.
The Thuram Decision
The logic behind Thuram’s potential departure is as much financial as footballing. Under the terms of Juventus’s UEFA Settlement Agreement and the squad cost restrictions now in force, the club can realistically afford only one significant midfield addition — unless a high-value sale first creates the necessary room on the balance sheet.
According to Tuttosport, Thuram is the primary candidate for that significant departure. Juventus value him at over €40 million, and at that price, the club are ready to grant him permission to leave. Three clubs have already demonstrated serious interest: Liverpool, PSG, and Galatasaray have all been monitoring the French midfielder’s situation. The Turkish club made a concrete approach earlier this summer, only to be firmly rebuffed by Thuram himself, who has made clear his desire to remain in elite European football. Liverpool and PSG represent the more credible destinations — and at the price Juventus are asking, a deal with either would represent a clean, profitable piece of business.
The Double Midfield Target
A sale of Thuram at or above €40 million would, crucially, allow Carnevali to pursue both Kessié and Lobotka simultaneously rather than choosing between them — transforming what would otherwise be an either/or dilemma into a genuine double midfield overhaul.
The two players address entirely different needs. Kessié, available on a free transfer having declined to renew at Al-Ahli, brings physical power, box-to-box athleticism, and winning experience at the highest level from his time at AC Milan. Lobotka, Spalletti’s long-stated priority, would provide the metronomic playmaking and passing precision that the Juventus midfield has conspicuously lacked. Together, they would represent the kind of complementary, experience-driven rebuild that Carnevali has been tasked with delivering — and at a combined cost that, with Thuram’s sale proceeds in hand, would sit comfortably within the club’s financial framework.
The Clock Is Ticking
For now, Juventus can afford only one of the two. Kessié, as the free agent, is the immediately accessible option. Lobotka would require a fee — De Laurentiis will not sell cheaply — and the funds to make that happen must come from somewhere. Thuram’s sale is that somewhere. The summer is barely a day old as a formal window, but the direction of travel could scarcely be clearer. Carnevali has his plan. Now he needs a buyer for the man at the centre of it.
