Newcastle United officially confirm Lloyd Kelly departure as defender joins Juventus on loan

Newcastle United have done some Deadline Day business. It's a miracle! Alright, it's outgoing business and it was a deal we were all already aware of but still, it's kind of exciting.

Lloyd Kelly, who only signed for Newcastle in the summer, has moved on from the club already. Who saw this one coming six months ago? Not we, that's for sure.

The idea of Kelly leaving Newcastle started to surface a few weeks ago when Jose Mourinho's Fenerbahce made an enquiry which resulted in a bid which was rejected by Newcastle.

Shortly after, Juventus tried their hand with a bid that was only slightly better than the one the Magpies rejected from the Turkish side.

Serena Taylor/newcastleunited.com

Juventus didn't give up and eventually got their man

Despite those rejections, Juventus remained at the table and started to work on the idea of a loan deal with an option to buy, however, it was widely reported that Newcastle would only consider such a deal if that option were made an obligation, and that's how things eventually moved forward.

Newcastle United have confirmed this evening that Lloyd Kelly has now completed his move to Juventus where he will join on loan initially before the move becomes permanent in the summer.

The agreed-upon fee is reported to be £20 million and the deal also includes a sell-on clause, so when Juventus sell Kelly, Newcastle will receive a percentage of the fee.

Newcastle confirmed Lloyd Kelly's departure on the official website

As seems to be tradition lately, there was very little fanfare on the article the club posted on their website. Although there's every chance that the following quote may have been amended to something a bit more fleshed out later on.

"The defender, who arrived at St. James' Park from AFC Bournemouth at the end of his Cherries contract in the summer of 2024, has made seven starts for the Magpies in all competitions this season, with a further seven substitute appearances.

"Newcastle United thanks Lloyd for his efforts and wishes him well in Turin."