Lloyd Kelly’s Unexpected Journey from Newcastle to Juventus' Champions League Squad
Lloyd Kelly’s career has taken a wild and unexpected turn. Just a few weeks ago, he was lining up against Bromley in the FA Cup for Newcastle United. Now, he’s wearing the famous black-and-white stripes of Juventus and playing in the Champions League. If you had told Newcastle fans this would happen at the start of the season, they probably wouldn’t have believed you.
So, how did we get here? Kelly was a free agent last summer when Newcastle signed him, seeing him as solid competition for Dan Burn and Lewis Hall. But things didn’t go as planned. He found himself down the pecking order, barely making an impact, and by January, he had become Newcastle’s fourth-choice center-back. When the transfer window opened, it wasn’t Kelly’s name being thrown around as a likely departure—Miguel Almirón was expected to be the one to leave. But as Newcastle needed to balance their books due to Premier League financial regulations, suddenly, Kelly’s exit became an option.
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Then came Juventus. They were desperate for defensive reinforcements after suffering major injuries to key players like Gleison Bremer and Juan Cabal. Their first signing, Renato Veiga from Chelsea, wasn’t enough, so they turned their attention to Kelly. The deal itself was surprising—an initial loan with an obligation to buy for up to £20 million. That’s a hefty fee for a player who wasn’t even a regular at Newcastle. Many within football circles were baffled by Juventus’ decision, especially since Kelly was available as a free agent just six months ago.
The move hasn’t exactly started smoothly. Kelly’s first two performances for Juventus have been shaky—he was criticized for his role in Ivan Perišić’s equalizer against PSV in the Champions League. The pressure on him to justify the transfer fee is already mounting.
From Newcastle’s side, the deal made financial sense. They weren’t using Kelly much, and getting such a big fee for him helped them comply with financial rules. But now, with injuries to key defenders like Sven Botman and Dan Burn, some fans are questioning whether letting Kelly go mid-season was the right call.
For Kelly, this is a massive opportunity. He’s now playing at one of Europe’s biggest clubs, competing on the highest stage. He joins a growing list of English players moving to Serie A, including Tammy Abraham and Fikayo Tomori at Milan. Speaking to Juventus TV, he acknowledged the challenge ahead but expressed his excitement about proving himself.
Whether this move turns out to be a masterstroke by Juventus or a miscalculated gamble remains to be seen. But one thing is for sure—Lloyd Kelly’s career has taken a dramatic and unexpected turn, and all eyes will be on him to see if he can rise to the occasion.
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