Lloyd Kelly had a good 2025/26 season for Juventus, and Aston Villa could now bring him back to the Premier League.
The defender’s spell at Juventus didn’t start well. The Italian press constantly criticised him and Sport Witness closely covered the negative perception around the Englishman. Despite that, Juve signed him permanently in summer 2025 and the decision paid off.
Kelly played 45 times in the 2025/26 campaign, featuring 35 times in Serie A. He became a trusted starter not just under Igor Tudor but also under Luciano Spalletti, proving the press wrong.
Juve failed to qualify for the Champions League. As they explore the possibility of earning capital gains to bridge their accounts, Kelly could be a candidate to depart.
What’s being said about Villa and Kelly
TuttoJuve report Kelly has been attracting interest from the Birmingham club. They see the ex-Bournemouth player as ‘one of the main targets’ for the summer, with a deal for Emerson Royal also closing in.
Aston Villa value Kelly’s technical ability and Premier League experience and could ‘begin negotiations’ for him soon.
Their interest has been described as ‘real’. Even if no negotiations have been held, Unai Emery’s side are continuing to gather information about signing him.
As things stand, the Bianconeri value the centre-back at €35m. The Old Lady paid €17.5m plus bonuses to sign him permanently and anything over that will go down as a capital gain.
Aston Villa will obviously want a lower price, and should be able to get one.
Our take: Kelly will add value
Due to his versatility and experience with two clubs in England, Kelly will be a proven signing for Aston Villa. He is younger than Pau Torres and can also slot in at left-back when needed. His ability on the ball has been a stand out in Italy, which is why Spalletti has shown a willingness to use him regularly.
Usually, a player like him would cost significantly more if he played in the Premier League. That is why signing him for anything around €30m could be a very good opportunity, especially as Kelly also has Champions League experience.
🇪🇸 Dion Lopy | Aston Villa make €15m offer ➡️ Player’s sale ‘practically done deal’ https://t.co/LXrKY6cmbt #avfc
— Sport Witness (@Sport_Witness) June 29, 2026
