Juventus CEO appreciates it might be ‘impossible’ to keep Chelsea target Matthijs De Ligt

Juventus CEO Maurizio Arrivabene has admitted in an interview with Tuttosport that it would be “impossible” to keep players who are unhappy and don’t want to be at the team anymore, but of course there are financial considerations that must be kept in mind as well.

This isn’t exactly a groundbreaking revelation or insight — it’s pretty much a guiding principle at any football club (and, increasingly, in many other workplaces for us commoners as well) — but given the situation around Matthijs De Ligt and Chelsea’s reported interest in the 22-year-old, it’s perhaps a telling note and confirmation of where things might stand at the moment.

“It’s impossible to keep players when they want to leave the club — but all the three parties in the negotiations have to be satisfied.”

-Maurizio Arrivabene; source: Tuttosport via Fabrizio Romano

Of course, the big question then becomes what is deemed satisfactory by all three parties. De Ligt’s release clause is €120m, which neither he nor Chelsea like. We might we willing to cough up €70m, which Juve might not like. But they are willing to listen, so perhaps we can keep chatting and see where this thing goes.