Former Bristol City prospect Lloyd Kelly has completed a deadline day loan move to Juventus, five and a half years after he left Ashton Gate for Bournemouth.
Kelly, a product of the Robins’ academy, broke into the City first team in the 2017/18 season under the management of Lee Johnson. Having been named in several matchday squads and featuring in the early stages of the Reds’ famous run to the Carabao Cup semi-finals, the defender was given his Championship debut against Queens-Park Rangers at Loftus Road in December 2017.
Just a matter of days later, he scored his first goal in City colours as he found the net from the bench in the Robins’ Boxing Day win over Reading at Ashton Gate. The then-teenager made nine more league appearances this season, primarily as a left-back.
The next season saw Kelly truly establish himself as a consistent member of Johnson’s side as he made 32 Championship appearances both at left-back and at centre-back as the Reds mounted a genuine challenge for the play-off places.
His performances that season caught the eye of Bournemouth who brought him to the Premier League in a deal reportedly worth £13million. While injuries stopped the defender from truly establishing himself in the top flight, he spent five seasons on the South Coast before leaving last summer upon the expiry of his contract.
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Despite being linked with a whole host of clubs as a free agent, Kelly joined Newcastle United and despite being highly rated in the North East, he has only managed to make four Premier League starts in the first half of the campaign, the last of which came in November.
Only a matter of months after his move to St James’ Park, the 26-year-old has now joined Serie A giants Juventus on loan for the remainder of the season with the Old Lady obligated to make the move permanent for a reported fee of £20million at the end of the season.