Summer negotiations between Juve and PSG for striker Kolo Muani, to potentially return for a second loan spell with the Turin titans, became a saga and proved elusive in the end.
PSG initially only wanted to sell Muani, but protracted talks between the club and Juve general manager Damion Comolli ended in a big fall-out between the European giants.
A season-long loan for Muani to join Juventus, with a conditional obligation to buy, was widely reported in late August by French sports media that a deal was imminent.
Yet an agreement could not be reached because, according to RMC Sport, there were numerous changes in the structure of the proposed deal. This resulted in PSG ending talks with Juve on deadline day, and sending Muani on loan to Tottenham Hotspur.
PSG allegedly increased the transfer fee from €40 million (US$46.9m) to €60m (US$70.3m). Another obstacle was that Juve were demanding that the obligation to buy conditions included qualifying for the 2026/27 Champions League, which would require a Serie A top four finish.
Comolli swiftly secured the signature of unorthodox striker Lois Openda from RB Leipzig in place of Muani before there became a war of words between Juve and PSG.
PSG president lashes out at Juventus
PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi hit out at Juventus directors and fumed to Sports Zone about the Bianconeri: “You’ve been making fun of us for weeks. It’s over. You won’t win the case. I’ll remember your methods, you can count on that.”
Yet PSG have effectively shot themselves in the foot. They were keen on acquiring Italian-born central midfielder Khephren Thuram from Juventus during the summer, or in the near future.
PSG explored Thuram’s availability after the FIFA Club World Cup, viewing him as an ideal replacement for Fabian Ruiz. They expressed interest when talks kicked off about Muani’s return to Turin.
Yet the former AS Monaco misfit, who moved along the Cote d’Azur to OGC Nice on a free transfer in 2019, appears to be out of reach of PSG because of the club’s spat with Juve.
Motta got it right with Thuram
After five seasons with Nice, the then Bianconeri manager Thiago Motta splashed €20.6m (US$24.2m) on Thuram in July 2024. The one-cap French international has been one of the handful of Motta signings to have flourished in a Juve jersey.
Racking up 53 appearances with aplomb, and netting five goals, attracted interest from a cluster of Premier League clubs as well as PSG.
Despite Thuram’s price tag being around double the fee that Juve forked out, the Italian giants are not keen to make a profit as he is a major asset and part of Igor Tudor’s long-term plans.