Lloyd Kelly’s loan move from Newcastle to Juventus was believed to be in serious jeopardy as visa issues looked like they would prevent the Italian giants from registering the defender in time.
Despite travelling to Turin and completing a medical, Kelly’s status as a non-EU citizen meant extra paperwork and documents had to be acquired.
But, fingers crossed, it seems those visa issues look to have now been resolved, allowing the 26-year-old to complete a deadline day move. Here’s the latest.
Di Marzio cast doubt over deal
With Juventus keen to bolster their defence in hopes of a big push for a top-four spot in the Serie A, there could be little time to waste in registering Kelly in time for the second half of the season.
However, Sky Italy’s Gianluca Di Marzio revealed on Monday afternoon that paperwork issues threatened to upend proceedings.
The Serie A has a strict limit of two non-EU players within a club’s squad, and recent Brexit legislation meant Kelly’s move wouldn’t be as simple as a player from one EU country moving to another.
Move back on track?
Just when it looked like Kelly’s move appeared to be at risk, Italian journalist Cristian Corbo reported that “The problems have been sorted out” regarding Kelly’s visa. This has also been backed up by Di Marzio, suggesting the any issues have now been sorted.
The former Bournemouth defender is now set to join the Old Lady for the remainder of the season, with a £20m obligation to buy included in the loan move.
Hopefully Kelly settled in Turin and can get his career back on track after a short stay on Tyneside. It didn’t work out as planned, but it’s a good move for the defender and a quick profit for Newcastle.