Juan Cuadrado will get his wish fulfilled on transfer day, as Chelsea finalizes details of his move to Juventus. Even better for all involved: the loan will likely become a permanent transfer.
Juan Cuadrado has spent little time in London and even less time in a Chelsea strip since signing with the club in February 2015. Cuadrado has scored 10 goals and nine assists, and won a Serie A league and cup title, while on loan to Fiorentina and Juventus.
Over the same span, he made 15 Chelsea appearances that barely covered 350 minutes while scoring zero goals. Little wonder that the Colombian winger has persistently requested a return to Italy.
Chelsea will loan Cuadrado back to Juventus for £3.5 million on a term sheet that includes a mandatory buy-out option. Once Cuadrado makes an undisclosed number of appearances for Juventus, the contract will trigger a £22 million permanent transfer. Chelsea paid just over £23 million for Cuadrado, so the Blues will break even on his short, pointless tenure with the club.
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Cuadrado’s contributions to Juventus’ domestic double last season stoked their desire to make his loan a permanent transfer. Antonio Conte initially appeared to stand in his former club’s way, showing his support for Cuadrado before the pre-season.
"He is in our squad. I am very happy to have him. He is a player I wanted in Juventus and now he must come back and start to train with us. Yes, he is Chelsea’s player and he will stay with us. If something changes you will know. – Chelsea FC"
Conte’s pre-season tour lineups contradicted his statements of support. Perhaps he realized upon arrival that Chelsea was at least one season away from fielding a 3-5-2. Cuadrado’s ability level may have been below expectations. In either case, Cuadrado’s absence from pre-season action foretold his eventual departure.
The buy-out clause is a win-win-win for Cuadrado, Juventus and Chelsea. Unlike Loic Remy, who will stay in limbo regardless of how well he performs at Crystal Palace, Cuadrado goes to Juventus with a discrete milestone of success. Once he makes the required number of appearances, he has the job security that has eluded him since he left Serie A for Stamford Bridge.
The buy-out clause forces Juventus to back up their words with actions. If they really believe in Juan Cuadrado, they will want to trigger the buy-out clause as quickly as possible. If Juventus dithers in reaching that point, they provide Conte with more opportunities to justify bring Cuadrado back to Chelsea, or for Chelsea to find a larger transfer fee.
The clause saves Chelsea from their worst tendencies to carry players on their ledger without any long-term planning or concern for their careers. Juventus can take the matter out of Michael Emenalo’s hands, which will be a blessing for all involved.
Cuadrado’s success in Serie A not only attracted Antonio Conte’s attention but also demonstrated his suitability for the Italian’s style of play. Conte likely saw Cuadrado as a player who could quickly play in a 5-man midfield.
In the end, Cuadrado could not define his place on a team with an abundance of world-class midfielders and wingers. If only he could play centre-back.