After weeks and months of impasse, Chelsea and Juventus have finally worked out a deal to send Juan Cuadrado back to Turin on loan. Again. Just like last year. Except this time, the loan is a whopping THREE-YEAR deal with an attached €25m buyout clause exercisable at any time during the term.
UFFICIALE - Juan @Cuadrado continua la sua avventura in bianconero. https://t.co/8BQUNdeFvC #BentornatoJuan pic.twitter.com/MG3Z3Q76nq
— JuventusFC (@juventusfc) August 31, 2016
Last season's loan was supposed to include a handshake agreement for an eventual permanent transfer, but after the Old Lady dragged their feet, Cuadrado eventually found himself back at Cobham, where new Chelsea boss Antonio Conte claimed to be eager to work with him. But all that eagerness translated to very few actual opportunities, and the writing had been on wall for another Cuadrado loan.
The latest rumors claimed the Juve were going to pay a loan fee of £3m with an obligation for a £20m purchase as well. Juventus's official numbers match those in Euros, but it's a bit more complicated than that. Juve will be paying Chelsea €5m in annual loan fees, which will also count towards the final €25m purchase price. However, the buy-option is NOT mandatory, contrary to previous reports.
Sounds far too complicated. Good luck to us all.