Michael Kayode told Tuttosport this week that reported interest from Juventus is flattering but he is not thinking of a return to Italy and is fully focused on Brentford.
“To be honest, I’m not thinking about going back to Italy: I just want to perform well, improve here at Brentford and continue to develop at this club,” Kayode said, adding that while interest from top clubs is pleasing, his attention is on the end of the campaign. “Obviously, interest from Juventus – or any top club, for that matter – is always nice, but I’m fully focused on the final stages of the season.”
The 21-year-old right-back has been one of Brentford’s standout performers this season and was nominated earlier this week for the Premier League Young Player of the Year award, a recognition that follows a full debut season in England in which he missed just one Premier League game.
Kayode joined Brentford from Fiorentina in January 2025, initially on loan, and the move was made permanent in the summer of 2025. He has represented Italy at under-18, under-19 and under-21 levels but has yet to make his senior debut for his country.
Those numbers matter to Brentford. The club sat eighth in the Premier League and were on the cusp of European qualification for the first time in their history, with the season due to end at home to Crystal Palace on Sunday and a trip to Anfield to face Liverpool scheduled for May 24.
Kayode has spoken before about how quickly he settled at the club. In March 2025 he told The Athletic, “Brentford is a special team. The first time I went to the club, I felt like I was three or four years with the team. I love this club and for me, everything is so easy here.” That sense of belonging underpins his public refusal to let transfer talk distract him now.
Context matters: Kayode is linked with a move back to Serie A, with Juventus reportedly interested in securing his services. He is also known for the distance of his long throws, a trait that has added a distinct weapon to Brentford’s play this season. None of those details change his message this week — he says he wants to keep improving at Brentford.
The tension in the story is straightforward. Kayode’s form, the Young Player nomination and Brentford’s run toward possible European football make him an attractive target for top clubs. At the same time, his insistence that he is focused on the final stages of the season puts pressure on any potential suitor to respect the club’s current campaign and the player’s stated priorities.
How this plays out will turn on two immediate facts: Brentford’s remaining fixtures and what Kayode does in them. If he continues to deliver — as he has all season, missing only one Premier League match — his value will rise and the noise around interest from clubs such as Juventus will only grow louder. For now, his public commitment is plain and simple: perform, improve and help Brentford finish the season strong.
That is the clearest takeaway from Kayode’s remarks: regardless of transfer speculation, he has positioned himself as a player intent on finishing what he started at Brentford, leaving the bigger decisions to a later moment after the club’s season is decided.
