Juventus Explore Tijjani Reijnders Loan Amid Kessié Uncertainty

Juventus have opened a channel to Manchester City for Tijjani Reijnders, moving quickly to line up an alternative as their pursuit of free agent Franck Kessié drags on.

Reports in Italy say the Turin club have held early, exploratory conversations on two fronts: with Reijnders’ camp to understand how keen the Dutch midfielder is on the move, and with City to test the waters over a possible loan. For now, it is contact rather than a full-blown negotiation, but the discussion is expected to rumble on in the coming days.

A new midfield idea for Spalletti

The interest in Reijnders underlines Juventus’s determination to reshape a crowded but unsettled midfield, an area Luciano Spalletti has marked out for reinforcement.

Reijnders, a Netherlands international and another former Milan player, joined Manchester City only last summer for around €55 million after impressing in Serie A. He started brightly in England, but has already slipped down the pecking order at the Etihad, opening a potential window for Juventus to pounce if City are prepared to sanction a temporary exit.

His profile fits the brief: technically clean, comfortable progressing the ball, and familiar with the demands of Italian football. For Juventus, it is a chance to inject fresh legs and a different rhythm into the centre of the pitch without committing immediately to a permanent deal.

Kessié waits, but not forever

Reijnders’ name has climbed the list partly because the Kessié operation, once thought to be close, remains unresolved.

Kessié, another former Milan midfielder, has been a free agent since 30 June and has moved nearer to an agreement with Juventus in recent days. The outlines of a deal are there, but the Ivorian is not prepared to sit in limbo. He has made it clear he wants clarity over his future soon, and that impatience is beginning to shape Juventus’s strategy.

As Kessié weighs his options, Juventus are wary of being left exposed. Hence the move to probe City and Reijnders, a parallel track that gives the Bianconeri leverage and a fallback if their primary target slips away.

One in, one out?

There is another obstacle: numbers. Juventus already count eight midfielders in their squad. Any arrival, whether Kessié on a free or Reijnders on loan, would almost certainly require at least one departure.

That logjam is central to the timing of any deal. Outgoings must unlock space on the wage bill and in the dressing room before the club can commit to a new face in the engine room.

So Juventus keep talking, juggling options, aware that both the market and the players they want will not wait indefinitely. Whether the solution comes in the form of Kessié’s power or Reijnders’ versatility, the message from Turin is unmistakable: this midfield will not stand still.