Reports in Italy claim that Nottingham Forest have opened discussions with Juventus in an attempt to sign attackers Timothy Weah and Samuel Mbangula for surprisingly low fees, and that the players are ‘open’ to the move, but why are the Bianconeri prepared to entertain offers of just €23m for the pair?
Why Juventus are willing to sell Weah and Mbangula
Various outlets in Italy have cited different price tags for Juventus duo Weah and Mbangula, ranging from €22m to €25m. Still, that is the quoted fee for the two players combined, not individually.
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The truth is that neither player has been a first-team favourite since Igor Tudor was appointed head coach as a replacement for Thiago Motta midway through March.
TURIN, ITALY – APRIL 12: Igor Tudor, Head Coach of Juventus, looks on prior to the Serie A match between Juventus and Lecce at Allianz Stadium on April 12, 2025 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)
Weah has started just three Serie A matches under Tudor, all three of them slightly out of position at wing-back.
Mganbula, meanwhile, played for just four minutes across two substitute appearances in Serie A after Tudor’s appointment.
epa11834670 Juventus’ Timothy Weah celebrates scoring the 2-0 goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Juventus FC and AC Milan, in Turin, Italy, 18 January 2025. EPA-EFE/ALESSANDRO DI MARCO
The situation has remained the same for the opening two matches of the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States – Weah got 45 minutes in the second half against Al Ain, Mbangula is still yet to feature. And, just before the tournament began, it was confirmed that Tudor will be staying on as head coach for the 2024-25 season, which does not bode well for either player.
Why Weah and Mbangula are available for low-cost fees
epa11889372 Juventus’ Samuel Mbangula celebrates scoring the 2-1 goal during the UEFA Champions League play-offs first leg soccer match between Juventus FC and PSV Eindhoven, in Turin, Italy, 11 February 2025. EPA-EFE/ALESSANDRO DI MARCO
Juventus are also open to selling Weah and Mbangula at a seemingly low fee given that they did not cost the Bianconeri an awful lot in the first place.
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Weah arrived in the summer of 2023 for a fee of €10.3m plus bonuses and commission fees, while Mbangula cost the Bianconeri less than €500,000 when he arrived from Anderlecht as a teenager.
That means that Juve will still be able to record capital gains on both players if they are sold for a combined €23m this summer.
