Pape Matar Sarr joins Juventus from Tottenham on season-long loan

Juventus have signed Senegal midfielder Pape Matar Sarr from Tottenham on a season-long loan, with an initial fee of about £2.1m and a further £23.6m payable if the conditions linked to an obligation to buy are met.

The move gives the 23-year-old the chance to take on a more prominent role at one of European football’s biggest clubs.

Sarr had slipped down Tottenham’s midfield hierarchy after the arrivals of Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes. Head coach Roberto De Zerbi had also confirmed that Sarr asked to leave in search of more regular first-team football.

Juventus acted quickly to complete the deal, despite reported interest from clubs in France, Turkey and the Premier League.

Sarr joined Tottenham from Metz in August 2021 before returning to the French club on loan. He subsequently made 141 appearances for Spurs in all competitions, scoring 11 goals and creating 11 more.

The Senegal international played 105 times in the Premier League and was an important part of the Tottenham side that won the 2024/25 Europa League.

One of the standout moments of that campaign came in the final against Manchester United in Bilbao, when Sarr delivered the cross from which Brennan Johnson scored the winning goal. The victory secured Tottenham’s first major trophy in 17 years.

Sarr leaves the club having established himself as a regular for Senegal. He has won 42 caps since making his international debut in 2021 and was included in the squad that won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2022.

The midfielder posted a farewell message to Tottenham supporters on social media before completing his move to Turin.

“Thank you, Tottenham, for all the wonderful years we’ve spent together. A special thank you to the fans for their incredible support and love. See you again very soon,” Sarr wrote.

At Juventus, Sarr is expected to bring energy, athleticism and versatility to the midfield as the Turin club seek to return to the Champions League places.

His departure brings an end to a four-year association with Tottenham, during which he developed from a player initially sent back to Metz on loan into a key member of the squad that ended the club’s long wait for a major honour.

Juventus secured his signature despite competition from clubs across several leagues, with the arrangement allowing the Serie A side to assess the midfielder before the potential permanent transfer is activated.